Suleman Chitera 
By Suleman Chitera
In a sweeping and controversial move, Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from 66 international organisations, agencies, and commissions, marking one of the most aggressive rollbacks of U.S. global engagement in modern history.
The organisations targeted are largely UN-affiliated bodies dealing with climate change, labour standards, migration, and human rights—areas the Trump administration has repeatedly derided as vehicles for what it calls “woke” ideology. Also swept up in the decision are non-UN entities, including the Global Counterterrorism Forum, a platform designed to coordinate international efforts against terrorism.
The White House defended the move by accusing the organisations of mismanagement, ideological bias, and hostility to U.S. sovereignty, arguing that continued participation drains American resources while delivering little in return. Officials said ending U.S. involvement advances Trump’s long-standing “America First” agenda by reclaiming decision-making power from what they describe as unaccountable global bureaucracies.
“This is about putting American interests first—period,” a senior administration official said, insisting the U.S. should not bankroll institutions that “work against our values and our people.”
However, critics argue the decision represents strategic self-isolation at a time when global cooperation is more critical than ever. Diplomats and foreign policy experts warn that withdrawing from multilateral forums does not eliminate global problems—it simply removes the U.S. from the table where solutions are negotiated.
The executive order builds on earlier high-profile withdrawals, including from the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council, decisions that were widely condemned by allies and international partners. Those exits, critics say, weakened U.S. influence while allowing rivals such as China and Russia to expand theirs.
Opposition lawmakers have accused Trump of dismantling decades of American leadership and abandoning the very institutions the U.S. helped create after World War II to stabilize the global order.
“America doesn’t become stronger by walking away,” one former diplomat said. “Power is exercised through presence, not absence.”
As the United States steps back from dozens of global platforms, questions are mounting about the long-term cost: diminished influence, strained alliances, and a vacuum of leadership that others will be eager to fill. Whether this retreat ultimately protects U.S. interests—or leaves them exposed—may define America’s place in the world for years to come.
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