United States President Mr. Donald Trump has ordered the country’s withdrawal from 66 international organisations, citing concerns over redundancy, mismanagement, and policies deemed contrary to American interests.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio, said the decision followed an administration-wide review conducted under Executive Order 14199, which assessed U.S. participation in, and funding of, international bodies.

According to Mr. Rubio, the review concluded that many of the organisations were ineffective, unnecessary, or actively working against U.S. interests, while others had become vehicles for ideological agendas that undermine national sovereignty.

“It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat, and treasure of the American people with little to nothing to show for it,” Mr. Rubio said.

He added that billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer funds had flowed for years to international bodies that delivered limited results while advancing policies misaligned with the administration’s priorities.

President Trump has directed all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to formalise the withdrawals.

Of the 66 organisations affected, 31 are United Nations (UN) bodies, while 35 are non-UN entities. Among those listed are the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which the White House said operate contrary to U.S. national interests.

Since returning to office in January, Mr. Trump has initiated the withdrawal of the U.S. from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement. He later signed an executive order pulling the country out of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and halting future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).

The UNFCCC, adopted in 1992, serves as the cornerstone of global climate action, coordinating international efforts through annual Conferences of the Parties (COP) and agreements such as the Paris Accord. Mr. Trump has repeatedly dismissed climate change as a “scam”.

The decision drew sharp criticism from the European Union. The EU’s climate chief, Mr. Wopke Hoekstra, described the move as “regrettable and unfortunate”, noting that the UNFCCC underpins global climate cooperation.

“We will unequivocally continue to support international climate research and cooperation,” Mr. Hoekstra said in a LinkedIn post.

Similarly, the EU Vice-President for the Clean Transition, Ms. Teresa Ribera, said the Trump administration “doesn’t care” about the environment, public health, or the suffering of people.