The United States on Tuesday announced it has left UNESCO, saying the UN cultural and education agency, best known for establishing world heritage sites, is biased against Israel and promotes “divisive” causes. “Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” the State Department spokeswoman said.
The U.S. exit was expected under President Donald Trump, who also ordered withdrawal from the organization in 2017 during his first term. President Joe Biden then reestablished US membership. Trump was not the first to pull the United States out of UNESCO. President Ronald Reagan ended U.S. membership in the 1980s, saying the agency was corrupt and pro-Soviet. The United States reentered under the presidency of George W. Bush.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce described UNESCO as working “to advance divisive social and cultural causes” and being overly focused on UN sustainability goals, which she described as a “globalist, ideological agenda.”
Bruce also highlighted what she said was the body’s anti-Israeli position in admitting Palestine as a state.
“UNESCO’s decision to admit the ’State of Palestine’ as a member state is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization,” Bruce said.
