Statement on US Withdrawal from UN Entities

On January 7, 2026, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum withdrawing the United States from 31 United Nations entities and agreements, alongside an additional 35 non-UN international organizations. In the memo, the President wrote that he and his cabinet “have determined that it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to the organizations” targeted by the memo.

The Human Security Project is strongly opposed to this and other recent actions by the Trump administration that actively oppose the principles of human security.

This withdrawal represents the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration to attack and undermine the very international system the US helped create. Many of the offices and entities targeted for withdrawal focus on the pillars of peacebuilding, human security, conflict prevention, human rights, and international law. Historically, the work of these offices—which address children in armed conflict, sexual violence, and democracy promotion, among other things—enjoyed robust, bipartisan support. These are issues that the US, regardless of which party is in charge, should be invested in. However, since the start of his second term, President Trump has prioritized the systematic dismantling of these efforts.

From the dissolution of USAID to violating and ignoring legislation President Trump signed into law in his first term in office, to violating international law with strikes in the Caribbean and elsewhere, this administration has exemplified a profound disregard for the rule of law, human rights, and conflict prevention.

In announcing the withdrawal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed these entities advance agendas "contrary to our own" and threaten the US’s "sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity." It is difficult to fathom how combating conflict-related sexual violence or advocating for children in war zones threatens American freedom or prosperity.

What is clear is that the Trump administration intends to act as a lone power, isolated from the international system. However, these organizations will continue to operate. By withdrawing, the US simply abdicates its leadership role, allowing other states to set the global agenda without American involvement.

Trump’s decision to withdraw from these international bodies coincided with an announcement that he is seeking to further expand the already bloated military budget to $1.5 trillion next year. The expansion of the Department of War’s budget—the largest in history—comes amid repeated threats against sovereign nations, including allied states, and the recent military actions in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

To be clear, none of these moves make America stronger or safer. Abandoning the multilateral system seeds more power to America’s supposed adversaries. Deprioritizing conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and pro-democracy initiatives, among others, will limit the international community’s ability to push back against violent extremism, terrorism, conflicts, and mass displacement, all of which can directly threaten national security and international commerce. Continuing to ignore climate change and climate-related issues as a threat multiplier to conflict and instability will not change the reality on the ground.

As is inevitably the case, civilians will bear the brunt of these decisions and suffer because of them. Millions of lives are already at risk due to the withdrawal of funding for life-saving and life-affirming programs. With the additional cuts announced this week, the toll of human suffering will only accelerate.

The world must recognize that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. The US has a long history of exerting its agenda through force, often at the expense of human security and human rights. However, previous administrations tried to maintain an uneven balance of support for other pro-peace initiatives. Under the current administration, that facade has been discarded, replaced by a policy that is an active threat to global peace and human security.