The U.S. Withdrawal from UNESCO Under the First Trump Administration: Multilevel Analysis

The article examines the issue of U.S. participation in UNESCO during the first administration of D. Trump. While officially presenting itself as an upholder of the world order and an active participant in multilateral institutions, the United States has more often than others resorted to drastic foreign policy measures, exerting significant pressure on international organizations to advance its national interests. This ambiguity was most evident in U.S. policy towards UNESCO, a specialized UN agency playing an important role in addressing global challenges. The study seeks to clarify the logic behind the American foreign policy stance toward UNESCO addresses and, more broadly, the United Nations under Trump’s first term. In particular, it addresses the reasons that prompted the U.S. leadership to withdraw from UNESCO. The research is based on K. Waltz’s multilevel analysis of international conflicts. The findings indicate that systemic factors – such as the intensification of interstate rivalry within the UN system and the crisis of the neoliberal globalization model – contributed to tensions in U.S.–UNESCO relations. However, their explanatory power is limited, as they do not fully account for the abrupt decision to terminate U.S. membership. Particular attention is given to the first level of analysis, highlighting the pragmatic approach of the 45th president and his inner circle, who were willing to unilaterally reconsider unfavorable “deals”, especially when Israel’s interests were affected. The article also examines second-level variables, explaining why, despite the “system of checks and balances”, the Republican administration was able to make the decision to withdraw from UNESCO with minimal resistance.

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