US President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the US from UNESCO because of the organisation’s “anti-American bias,” the White House said on Tuesday.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told The New York Post that the organisation supports “controversial, divisive cultural and social goals” that “completely contradict common sense” and the policies of the current US administration.
The US administration disagrees with UNESCO’s policy on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and considers the organisation biased due to its “pro-Palestinian and pro-Chinese” sentiments, Kelly said.
Shortly after returning to the White House, Trump ordered a review of the advisability of continued participation in UNESCO and gave 90 days to complete it. In particular, the authorities were to assess “how UNESCO supports the interests of the United States and whether it supports them.”
At the same time, he said that two other UN organisations deserved “close attention” — the Human Rights Council and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In February, Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council, which he had previously criticised for “bias” against Israel.
