A sweeping exit from the world stage

In a move that has stunned diplomats and climate advocates alike, President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from 66 global organisations and treaties, roughly half of which are affiliated with the United Nations. The White House memorandum, released on Wednesday, labelled these bodies as “contrary to the interests of the United States.”

Among the most prominent affected organisations are the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Law Commission. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundational treaty underpinning most international climate accords, is also on the list.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the withdrawals as a defence of American sovereignty. “From DEI mandates to gender equity campaigns to climate orthodoxy, many international organisations now serve a globalist project,” he said, echoing the administration’s critique that the world stage has been hijacked by progressive ideology.

Climate treaties in the crosshairs

The decision to exit the UNFCCC marks a particularly dramatic blow to international climate efforts. Adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and ratified by the US Senate during George H.W. Bush’s presidency, the treaty forms the backbone of the Paris Agreement and all other major climate initiatives.

Trump, who has long championed fossil fuels and dismissed human-driven climate change as a “hoax,” has already withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement in both his first and current terms, moves later reversed by Democratic successors. Experts warn that leaving the underlying UNFCCC treaty could create legal and diplomatic complications, making future US re-entry more difficult.

Jean Su, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, told AFP, “Pulling out of the UNFCCC is a whole order of magnitude different from pulling out of the Paris Agreement… We are exploring legal avenues to challenge this action.”

Li Shuo from the Asia Society Policy Institute warned the move fractures the fragile consensus built over decades: “The US withdrawal from the UN climate framework is a heavy blow to global climate action.”

Domestic critics and global concern

Trump’s withdrawal has drawn sharp criticism from domestic political rivals. California Governor Gavin Newsom described the decision as surrendering “America’s leadership on the world stage” and warned it creates a “leadership vacuum” that rivals such as China may exploit.

The White House memorandum also instructs the US to pull out of other climate-related organisations, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, International Renewable Energy Agency, UN Oceans, and UN Water.

This latest exodus mirrors Trump’s previous withdrawals from UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and cuts to foreign aid, which have forced agencies like the World Food Programme and UN High Commissioner for Refugees to scale back operations globally.

A controversial legacy of isolationism

Trump’s actions signal a deliberate pivot away from multilateralism, prioritising a narrowly defined national interest over collective global cooperation. Critics argue this approach undermines US influence in trade, health, humanitarian aid, and climate negotiations.

Social media and public commentary have been sharply divided. Some hail the move as a bold assertion of sovereignty, while others warn it diminishes America’s role as a global leader. Analysts say the long-term consequences could include weakened alliances, slowed climate action, and a potential power vacuum that other nations could fill.

As Trump continues to reshape America’s global posture, the world is watching closely and, in many corners, with deep unease.

{Source: IOL}

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