Trump Pulls US Out of Major Climate Treaty and Dozens of Global Bodies

 The United States has formally withdrawn from a wide range of international organisations, including a cornerstone climate treaty that underpins global efforts to address climate change, under a new decision by President Donald Trump.

In a memorandum signed on Wednesday, the Trump administration confirmed the US exit from 66 international bodies, nearly half of which are linked to the United Nations. Among the most significant departures is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the agreement that provides the legal foundation for international climate negotiations.

The White House said the move followed an internal review that concluded many of the organisations no longer aligned with US priorities. In a statement, officials argued that continued participation represented “a waste of taxpayer dollars” and supported agendas described as “ineffective, hostile, or globalist.”

Trump Pulls US Out of Major Climate Treaty and Dozens of Global Bodies

The administration added that several of the groups promoted policies on climate, governance, and social issues that it said conflicted with US sovereignty and economic interests. Organisations focused on development, gender equality, and conflict prevention were also included in the withdrawals—areas the administration has previously criticised as ideologically driven.

In addition to the UNFCCC, the US has exited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading international authority assessing climate science. Several non-UN bodies have also been affected, including groups involved in renewable energy cooperation, democratic governance, and international security, such as the International Solar Alliance, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

President Trump has long been critical of multilateral institutions and has previously reduced or eliminated US funding for organisations he opposes. He has also repeatedly rejected the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change.

Legal experts note that while the US Constitution outlines how treaties are ratified—requiring approval by two-thirds of the Senate—it does not clearly define the process for withdrawal. This ambiguity raises the possibility of legal challenges to the administration’s decision.

The latest move follows last year’s US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement for a second time and the administration’s decision not to send a delegation to the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. The US has already exited other major international bodies, including the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, and UNESCO.

European officials responded with concern, warning that the withdrawals could undermine global cooperation. EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said the UNFCCC is central to international climate action and described the US decision as “regrettable.” Teresa Ribera, the EU’s vice-president for clean transition, said the move suggested a lack of concern for environmental protection, public health, and human welfare.

Climate and science advocacy groups in the US also criticised the decision. Rachel Cleetus, senior policy director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, called the withdrawals a “new low,” arguing that they signal an increasingly hostile stance toward science and international collaboration, with potential consequences for global stability and public wellbeing.