Trump Executive Order Severs U.S. Ties with 66 International Bodies, Targets Climate Groups In a sweeping move, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order withdrawing the United States from 66 international organizations and treaties. The order frames the action as necessary to protect U.S. sovereignty and economic interests from entities promoting what it calls radical climate policies and global governance. This action significantly expands the administration’s longstanding skepticism of multilateralism. It follows the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement for a second time in early 2025. The latest order targets a broad array of United Nations and other international bodies, with several key climate organizations on the list. Notably, the U.S. will cease participation in and funding for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the primary international forum for climate negotiations, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the leading global body for assessing climate science. Other affected organizations span issues including trade, conservation, reproductive rights, and migration, such as the International Trade Centre, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the UN Population Fund, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development. A White House statement argued these organizations conflict with U.S. interests and that leaving them will save taxpayer money. However, the administration did not specify the amount of anticipated savings or how those funds would be reallocated. The decision drew immediate condemnation from environmental advocates and former officials. Former Vice President Al Gore stated that by withdrawing from these partnerships, the Trump administration is undoing decades of diplomacy, undermining climate science, and damaging global trust. The practical impact of the withdrawals remains uncertain. According to reports, the United States will maintain its role in other significant international energy bodies, such as the International Energy Agency. Furthermore, some of the organizations the U.S. is leaving are described as deliberative bodies where American involvement was already limited, potentially lessening the immediate operational blow. This move aligns with a pattern of the second Trump administration directly confronting international regulatory efforts, particularly in technology policy. Recent actions include withdrawing from trade talks with Canada over a digital services tax and imposing a travel ban on a former European Union commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s Digital Services Act, a major piece of tech regulation. The executive order represents a profound shift in U.S. foreign policy, marking a formal retreat from numerous long-standing international partnerships and raising questions about America’s role in addressing global challenges like climate change.
