US President Donald Trump pulled out America from Unesco over its support for "woke, divisive cultural and social causes" including DEI policies, pro-Palestinian and pro-China tilt.
"Continued involvement in Unesco is not in the national interest of the United States," AFP reported quoting state department spokeswoman.
Back in February, Trump had directed a 90-day review of the US role in Unesco, focusing particularly on examining any “anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.”
"Upon conducting the review, administration officials took issue with Unesco’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies as well as its pro-Palestinian and pro-China bias," the New York Post reported citing White House official.
“China has leveraged its influence over Unesco to advance global standards that are favorable to Beijing’s interests,” the official said.
“President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from Unesco – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly said.
“This President will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests,” Kelly added.
Critics have pointed to Unesco’s 2023 release of an “anti-racism toolkit” and its 2024 “Transforming MEN’talities” campaign as examples behind Trump's concern. The toolkit urged member states to embrace “anti-racist” policies and engage in a “race to the top” to position themselves as leading voices for social justice, by confronting their histories of racism and committing to equity-driven reforms.
The States initially pulled out of the UN agency in 1983 during the then President Ronald Reagan’s administration, arguing that Unesco had overly politicized nearly every issue it addressed, shown clear antagonism toward free societies, particularly free markets and a free press, and engaged in unchecked budgetary growth.
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