US pulls out of 66 global bodies; International Solar Alliance on list
Describes them as 'wasteful, ineffective, or harmful' to American interests
US President Donald Trump has announced the country’s withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA), describing them as “wasteful, ineffective, or harmful” to American interests.
The announcement was made through a statement released by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following the directives of an executive order. The order called for a comprehensive review of all global institutions that the US supports financially or participates in, to assess their alignment with national interests.
“The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant, mismanaged and often captured by actors advancing agendas contrary to our own. The days of billions of dollars in taxpayer money flowing to foreign interests at the expense of our people are over,” the State Department statement said.
Among the bodies listed for withdrawal are key United Nations entities such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Women agency and the UN Human Settlements Programme, alongside several non-UN institutions like the International Renewable Energy Agency, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The inclusion of ISA, a collaborative initiative between India and France aimed at uniting efforts to combat climate change by implementing solar energy solutions, is expected to draw significant diplomatic attention. The ISA, headquartered in Gurugram, has been a flagship example of climate cooperation between developed and developing nations.
The US withdrawal comes at a time when global efforts to combat climate change are already under strain, raising concerns among allies and environmental groups.
Diplomatic observers said the move could strain Washington’s relations with New Delhi on clean energy collaboration, though the US is expected to maintain bilateral renewable energy partnerships outside the ISA framework.
Trump, in the order, said the review of additional international organisations “remains ongoing” and reiterated his administration’s stance that America “will not continue expending resources, diplomatic capital and the legitimising weight of our participation in institutions that are irrelevant to or in conflict with our interests”.
While the decision aligns with the administration’s “America First” doctrine, critics argue it further isolates the US from multilateral frameworks designed to address shared global challenges such as climate change, gender equity and sustainable development.
