The United States under President Donald Trump is withdrawing from 66 global organizations and international agreements, representing one of the most significant retrenchments from multilateral engagement in American history and fundamentally reshaping the country's role in international governance.
One of Trump's first actions after returning to office in January 2025 was announcing the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement for the second time. The withdrawal officially took effect on January 27, 2026, removing the world's largest economy and historically largest greenhouse gas emitter from the primary global framework for addressing climate change.
The list of 66 organizations spans diverse areas including climate and environment, human rights, health, trade, security, and cultural cooperation. Each withdrawal carries specific implications for both American interests and global governance in that particular domain.
Climate-related withdrawals extend beyond the Paris Agreement to include various environmental protocols, clean energy initiatives, and biodiversity conventions. These exits signal American disengagement from international efforts to address climate change, though sub-national actors including states, cities, and corporations have pledged to maintain climate commitments independently.
Trump administration officials justify the withdrawals as protecting American sovereignty, reducing financial burdens on American taxpayers, and eliminating constraints on policy flexibility. Critics argue the retrenchment diminishes American global leadership, weakens international cooperation on shared challenges, and creates vacuums that rival powers including China will fill.
The withdrawals affect organizations across the spectrum from high-profile entities like the World Health Organization and UNESCO to lesser-known technical bodies governing specific issue areas. Each departure requires formal notification processes, some involving waiting periods before becoming effective.
International response has ranged from dismay among traditional American allies to opportunistic positioning by competitors seeking expanded influence in institutions America is abandoning. The long-term implications will depend on whether future administrations reverse course or whether Trump's approach represents lasting American policy shift.