The New York Post quoted White House Deputy Press Secretary Anne Kelly as saying that UNESCO supports “contradictory, divisive cultural and social goals” that are “completely contrary to common sense” and the policies of the current United States government.
As the publication notes, Donald Trump ordered back in February to examine the feasibility of UNESCO because of the agency’s “pro-China and pro-Palestinian bias.”
The US administration does not agree with UNESCO’s policy on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion) and considers the organization biased because of “pro-Palestinian and pro-Chinese” sentiments, Kelly said.
Shortly after returning to the White House, Donald Trump commissioned a study on whether to continue to participate in UNESCO. In 2017, during Trump’s first term, the US had already withdrawn from the UN cultural agency, citing its “longstanding anti-Israel bias” as the reason. Washington’s decision was later joined by Israel. In 2023, when Joe Biden was president, the United States returned to UNESCO and paid its arrears to the organization on membership fees.
At the moment, the UN specialized agency for education, science and culture includes 194 states and 12 associate members.
