On February 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), while also calling for a review of U.S. involvement in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The order stated that the UNHRC has shielded human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to avoid scrutiny. Established in 2006, the UNHRC is the UN’s primary body for the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. It consists of 47 rotating member states serving three-year terms. The U.S. has had a complicated history with the council, previously withdrawing under Trump in 2018 before rejoining under former President Joe Biden in 2021. Notably, at the time of the executive order, the U.S. was not an active member of the council.

The order also targeted UNRWA, asserting that the agency has been infiltrated by members of designated terrorist groups and that some of its employees participated in the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. Founded in 1949, UNRWA provides education, healthcare, social services, and emergency aid to Palestinian refugees across the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. While supporters commend its humanitarian work, critics—including the Trump administration—have long accused it of operational failures.

The order also called for a review of continued U.S. involvement in UNESCO. The review is to be conducted by the Secretary of State, in coordination with the United States Representative to the United Nations (UN Ambassador), within 90 days. The review will include an evaluation of how, and if, UNESCO supports U.S. interests, along with an analysis of any anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization. UNESCO is the UN agency focused on international cooperation in education, science, and culture. It is widely known for designating World Heritage Sites but also plays a role in global education and cultural preservation. The U.S. had previously withdrawn from UNESCO in 2017 under the Trump administration and rejoined in 2023 under the Biden administration.