Trump Pulls US from UNESCO

Among the faults cited are UNESCO’s publication of an “anti-racism toolkit” in 2023 and its 2024 “Transforming MEN’talities” initiative, the former of which called on member states to adopt “anti-racist” policies and compete in a “race to the top” to be the foremost social justice advocate, answering questions about the history of racism in their jurisdictions and then working to ensure equity.

The “MEN’talities” initiative published a report highlighting the organization’s work in India aimed at reshaping how “men think about gender issues” — especially “harmful gender norms.”

The gender program also published a video game report last year that looked into how games could “promote gender equality.”

“It is not only about controlling the negative impacts, but also relying on video games to address socio-cultural stereotypes and encourage positive, antidiscriminatory behaviors,” assistant director-general for the social and human sciences Gabriela Ramos said at the time.

The Chinese Communist Party has particularly been criticized for using its influence in UNESCO to downplay the role of minorities like Uyghur Muslims in the nation’s history.

Trump initially ordered the US out of UNESCO in 2017, then as now citing anti-Israel bias.

The US first withdrew from the UN organization in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan, saying at the time that the organization “has extraneously politicized virtually every subject it deals with. It has exhibited hostility toward a free society, especially a free market and a free press, and it has demonstrated unrestrained budgetary expansion.”

President Joe Biden made the US rejoin UNESCO in 2023, arguing that an American presence was needed to counter China’s growing hold on the organization.

The Biden administration also vowed to pay back more than $600 million in dues incurred since the US stopped contributing in 2011 due to the inclusion of Palestine as a member.