In a move that has sparked both domestic and international controversy, President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to withdraw the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and extend the ban on U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The decision comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and various international organizations, as well as ongoing disputes over U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Trump administration is expected to announce the U.S. withdrawal from the UNHRC in the coming days, citing concerns about the council’s effectiveness and its alleged bias against Israel. The president has long criticized the UNHRC for its perceived anti-Israel stance, arguing that the council has failed to address human rights violations committed by countries such as China, Russia, and Iran, while disproportionately focusing on Israel. Trump’s decision to leave the body aligns with his administration’s broader America First foreign policy, which has prioritized national sovereignty over multilateralism and international cooperation.
The move to withdraw from the UNHRC follows a similar decision in 2018 when the U.S. pulled out of the UN’s cultural and educational agency, UNESCO, after what the Trump administration described as anti-Israel actions by the organization. The U.S. has also been critical of other UN bodies and international agreements, including the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, underlining Trump’s desire to reshape U.S. involvement in global institutions.
Critics of the withdrawal have argued that leaving the UNHRC will undermine U.S. influence on human rights issues and further isolate the country from the international community. Human rights advocates have voiced concerns that the decision will embolden authoritarian regimes and diminish the UNHRC’s ability to hold violators accountable. This is a disastrous move for human rights globally, said Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. The U.S. has been a key force in pushing for accountability and protections for the vulnerable, and its departure from the council sends the wrong signal to the world.
On the other hand, supporters of the move argue that the UNHRC has been ineffective in addressing serious human rights abuses and that the U.S. can still promote human rights through other channels. The UNHRC is a flawed institution, and the U.S. should not be part of a body that repeatedly targets Israel while failing to hold countries like China and Venezuela accountable for their human rights violations, said a senior U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The decision to extend the ban on U.S. funding to UNRWA is equally contentious. The Trump administration has been at odds with the UN agency, which provides services to Palestinian refugees, arguing that its operations perpetuate the refugee crisis rather than solving it. In 2018, the U.S. made a dramatic move by cutting funding to UNRWA, claiming that the agency’s work had become politicized and that it was contributing to the perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
By halting U.S. contributions to UNRWA, Trump has aimed to pressure Palestinian leadership to engage in peace talks with Israel, hoping to shift the focus of aid to more sustainable solutions. Critics, however, have warned that this policy could worsen the humanitarian situation for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, where UNRWA provides essential services such as education, healthcare, and food aid.
The decision to extend the funding freeze comes amid ongoing efforts by the U.S. to reshape its relationship with Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Trump administration’s controversial “deal of the century,” a peace plan unveiled in early 2020, has faced widespread criticism from Palestinian leaders and other countries in the Arab world. The plan, which heavily favors Israel, has been seen as a non-starter for peace negotiations and has deepened divisions in the region.
The U.S. has also worked to strengthen its ties with Israel during Trump’s presidency, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving the U.S. embassy there, and brokering normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. These moves have been celebrated by Israel and its supporters, but condemned by Palestinian authorities, who view the U.S. as no longer a neutral mediator in the peace process.
The extended ban on UNRWA funding is likely to further strain U.S.-Palestinian relations. Palestinian leaders have repeatedly called for the restoration of U.S. aid to their people, arguing that the suspension of UNRWA funding exacerbates the dire conditions in Palestinian refugee camps. This decision will only increase the suffering of Palestinian refugees and hinder any potential for peace, said Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator. The U.S. is taking a step backward in its role as a mediator in the Middle East.
The announcement of the U.S. withdrawal from the UNHRC and the extension of the UNRWA funding ban also comes at a time when the global human rights landscape is under significant scrutiny. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on issues like access to healthcare, economic inequality, and the rights of refugees and displaced persons. Human rights organizations have called on governments around the world to work together to address these challenges, but U.S. actions under Trump have often prioritized a more isolationist approach.
The withdrawal from the UNHRC and the freeze on UNRWA funding also reflect broader shifts in U.S. foreign policy that have marked the Trump presidency. The administration has consistently favored national sovereignty, questioning the value of multilateral agreements and institutions. This approach, while popular with certain domestic constituencies, has been criticized for weakening U.S. influence on the global stage and undermining the international rule of law.
As the Trump administration moves forward with these decisions, the international community will be watching closely. The withdrawal from the UNHRC could have significant consequences for global human rights advocacy, while the extension of the UNRWA funding ban is likely to exacerbate tensions in the Middle East. Both actions are expected to have lasting effects on U.S. relations with its allies, adversaries, and international organizations, further complicating the already contentious global political landscape.
For President Trump, these decisions are part of his broader America First agenda, which aims to prioritize U.S. interests over international cooperation. However, critics argue that this approach risks alienating the U.S. from global efforts to address pressing issues like human rights, peace, and humanitarian aid. With both the UNHRC withdrawal and UNRWA funding freeze, the Trump administration’s foreign policy trajectory remains firmly focused on unilateralism and challenging the status quo of global diplomacy. As the world grapples with these bold decisions, it is clear that the U.S.’s role on the global stage is undergoing a fundamental shift.
