Text of "Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Withdraws from Anti-American UN Organizations"

 

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 In an action that is not unexpected, Mr. Trump announced that the Nited States would withdraw from certain U.N. organizations, "withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA)."  Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Withdraws from Anti-American UN Organizations. None of this is unexpected, and reflected a stance that was already developed during Mr. Trump's first administration and earlier actions of the Biden administration that had halted funding to UNRWA in 2024.  The more interesting question will be the extent to which the discourse of withdrawal and suppression of operations within territories under its control that had been developed against the State of Israel, which went into effect on 31 January, with respect to UNRWA will be transposed to the Untried States (for an example see HERE. For discourse from the UN General Assemble, see Meetings Coverage; General Assembly; Fourth Committee; Seventy-ninth Session, 24th Meeting (AM) GA/SPD/823 13 November 2024 ‘If Legal and Political Framework in Which UNRWA Operates Does Not Hold, We Cannot Stay and Deliver,’ Its Chief Tells Fourth Committee, Warning of Agency’s Collapse). Of course the two actions, though related are not identical, since Israel controls areas within which UNRWA operates. But the intent is similar.  At bottom, though, the issues revolve around that shifting line between sovereign authority, the consequences of delegation upwards into international organizations, the nature and extent of treaty obligations (as well as the power to interpret and apply them, and the use of legalities to discipline State actors.

The text of the Fact Sheet: follows below.

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Withdraws from Anti-American UN Organizations

February 4, 2025

ENDING U.S. SUPPORT FOR RADICAL ANTI-AMERICAN UN ORGANIZATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).

• The Executive Order also requires the Secretary of State to review and report to the President on which international organizations, conventions, or treaties promote radical or anti-American sentiment.
  • The UN Educational, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in particular, will undergo a review under an expedited timeline due to its history of anti-Israel bias.
• The Executive Order will prohibit the United States from providing any additional funding to UNRWA, which has consistently shown itself to be anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, as evidenced by the number of its staff members who took part in the horrific October 7^th terrorist attacks against Israel.
  • UNRWA facilities have repeatedly been used by Hamas and other terrorist groups to store weapons and build tunnels.

STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has not fulfilled its purpose and continues to be used as a protective body for countries committing horrific human rights violations.

• Countries such as Iran, China, and Cuba use the UNHRC to shield themselves despite having egregious records of human rights violations and abuses.

• The UNHRC has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings.
• In 2018, the year President Trump withdrew from the UNHRC in his first administration, the organization passed more resolutions condemning Israel than Syria, Iran, and North Korea combined.

BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS: During his first administration, President Trump stopped funding the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and withdrew the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

• President Trump in 2017: “The United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity.”
• After the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO, the organization took steps to improve its relationship with Israel.
• President Trump successfully stopped U.S. funding to UNRWA during his first administration. The Biden Administration initially resumed funding until being forced to confront UNRWA’s corruption after the October 7^th attacks, and President Trump is once again taking action to stand up for human rights by withdrawing the United States from this corrupt organization for good.