• Disbands Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
• UNFCCC says it’s colossal own goal against Uncle Sam

The United States of America has withdrawn from 35 non-United Nations (UN) organisations and 31 UN organisations, including conventions and treaties, saying they don’t serve the country’s interests.

Among those deemed “contrary to American interests” are several bodies key to protecting the climate and the environment. One year after pulling out of the Paris agreement, the US is now set to leave the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  
This was contained in a Presidential Memoranda from the White House, signed by President Donald Trump yesterday and made available to journalists at the Foreign Press Centre, Washington, DC, as well as heads of executive departments and agencies.
  
Trump leveraged his action on February 4, 2025, Executive Order 14199 to end funding to certain UN organisations and review U.S. support to all international organisations.
  
He explained: “That Executive Order directed the Secretary of State, in consultation with the U.S. Representative to the UN, to conduct a review of all international intergovernmental organisations of which the U.S. is a member and provides any type of funding or other support.
  
“All conventions and treaties to which the U.S. is a party, to determine which organisations, conventions and treaties are contrary to the interests of the U.S. The Secretary of State has reported his findings as required by Executive Order 14199.”
  
The POTUS said he considered the Secretary of State’s report and, after deliberating with his Cabinet, determined that “it is contrary to the interests of the U.S. to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to the organisations listed in Section 2 of this memorandum.” 
 
 He directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to effectuate the withdrawal of the country from the organisations listed in Section 2 of the memorandum as soon as possible.  
  
“For UN entities, withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law,” Trump added. He listed the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, Freedom Online Coalition, Global Counterterrorism Forum, Regional Cooperation Council, and Science and Technology Centre in Ukraine among the 35 proscribed non-UN organisations.
  
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Law Commission, Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, UN Alliance of Civilisation, UN Democracy Fund and UN Energy are listed among the 31 UNO proscribed categories.
  
He ordered the Secretary of State to provide implementation and additional guidance to the agencies when implementing the memorandum, office management, budgetary, administrative and legislative proposals.
  
The President stressed that the memorandum shall be implemented consistently with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
 
“This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the U.S., its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.” 
  
President Trump framed the decision as part of his broader America First foreign policy, aimed at restoring U.S. sovereignty and ensuring that international engagement delivers clear benefits to Americans. 
  
The memorandum is to be published in the Federal Register, formally notifying both domestic agencies and international partners of the nation’s decision to disengage from the listed organisations.
  
Reacting to this, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, said the move is a colossal own goal, which can harm America’s economy, jobs and living standards.
  
“While all other nations are stepping forward together, this latest step-back from global leadership, climate cooperation and science can only harm the U.S. economy, jobs and living standards, as wildfires, floods, mega-storms and droughts get rapidly worse. It is a colossal own goal which will leave America less secure and less prosperous,” he said.