U.S. President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and said Washington will not renew funding for the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees.
Trump signed an executive order on February 4 just before meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has long accused both UNHRC and the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of bias against Israel and antisemitism.
The executive order said the United States helped found the United Nations after World War II to prevent future global conflicts and promote international peace and security. But some UN agencies “have drifted from this mission and instead act contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating anti-Semitism,” it said.
UNRWA has reportedly been infiltrated by members of groups long designated as foreign terrorist organizations, according to the order, while UNHRC has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny.
The executive order also said the United States would review involvement in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The executive order said UNESCO has demonstrated failure to reform itself, continually demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade, and failed to address concerns over mounting debts.
SEE ALSO: Israel's Ban On UN Agency 'Beyond Catastrophic' For PalestiniansThe order also set up a broad review of U.S. funding for multilateral organizations to be completed within 180 days. The review is to determine in part which organizations, conventions, and treaties “are contrary to the interests of the United States" and whether they can be reformed.
Trump also pulled the United States out of the Human Rights Council during his first term in office. The U.S. ambassador to the UN at the time, Nikki Haley, accused the council of “chronic bias against Israel” and pointed to what she said were human rights abusers among its members.
President Joe Biden renewed support for the 47-member UNHRC, but announced in September that the United States would not seek a second consecutive term.
The council's activities include reviews of countries' human rights records and specific allegations of rights abuses.
UNRWA is currently providing humanitarian assistance to many of the 1.9 million people displaced by the war in Gaza who depend on its deliveries for survival.
U.S. funding of UNRWA was halted in January 2024 by Biden after Israel accused 12 of its employees of involvement in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack.
A series of probes found some "neutrality related issues" at UNRWA, but no evidence for Israel's chief allegations, and most other donors that had similarly suspended funding resumed their financial support.
Trump said based on the UN's “great potential” the United States would “continue to go along with it,” but added that the primary purpose of the United Nations should be settling conflicts.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Guterres has worked tirelessly to implement many reforms and increase efficiency and innovation.
Stephane Dujarric added that U.S. support for the United Nations has saved countless lives and advanced global security.
"The secretary-general looks forward to continuing his productive relationship with President Trump and the U.S. government to strengthen that relationship in today’s turbulent world," Dujarric said.