
Faith Nyasuguta
US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will officially withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council and permanently halt funding for the U.N. agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The decision, made public on Tuesday, comes amid ongoing criticism of both entities by the U.S. and Israel.
The United States had already exited the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in 2018, citing a “chronic bias against Israel.” Trump’s decision formalizes this stance and ensures the U.S. will not seek reentry. The council has long faced accusations of harboring human rights violators among its members while unfairly targeting Israel.
UNRWA, the agency responsible for providing aid, education, and healthcare to millions of Palestinian refugees, has also been at the center of controversy. Israel accuses UNRWA of fostering anti-Israel sentiment through its educational materials and alleges that the agency harbored Hamas militants involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
UNRWA has denied these claims, but the allegations led to a freeze in funding by multiple countries. While most have since resumed financial support, the U.S. has now made its funding halt permanent.

Trump’s announcement coincided with a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has consistently criticized both the Human Rights Council and UNRWA for their alleged anti-Israel bias. The move is widely seen as a show of support for Israel’s position.
U.S. Review of UN Involvement
Trump also signed an executive order directing a review of U.S. participation in UNESCO and broader U.N. funding. The U.S. currently covers 22% of the U.N.’s regular operating budget, making it the largest financial contributor, with China as the second-largest.
“I’ve always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential,” Trump stated in the Oval Office. “It’s not living up to that potential right now… They’ve got to get their act together.”
He emphasized the need for fairness, saying that certain countries, which he did not name, were being “preferred” despite their actions.
Implications for Palestinian Refugees
UNRWA was established in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees displaced before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Today, it provides aid to approximately 2.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem, as well as 3 million others in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Before the Hamas attack in 2023, the agency operated schools for 650,000 children in Gaza and provided healthcare and humanitarian aid.
Trump’s previous administration had suspended U.S. funding for UNRWA in 2018, but the Biden administration restored it. In 2022, the U.S. contributed $343 million, increasing to $422 million in 2023. However, allegations that 19 UNRWA staff members were involved in the Hamas attack led to renewed scrutiny. Nine were found to have possible links, prompting Trump’s latest move to ensure that U.S. financial support does not resume.

International Reactions and Future Outlook
Before Trump’s announcement, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reaffirmed the importance of the Human Rights Council and UNRWA’s role in delivering aid. However, Trump’s withdrawal is expected to further weaken U.S. influence in the council. While the decision has little immediate effect, since the U.S. was no longer a voting member, it signals a shift in U.S. foreign policy priorities.
Human rights groups and Palestinian organizations have condemned the move, warning that it will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and beyond. Meanwhile, pro-Israel groups have welcomed the decision, arguing that UNRWA’s operations require greater oversight.
Trump’s actions ensure that the U.S. will not fund UNRWA at least until March 2025. His administration has also signaled that the larger U.N. funding could face additional cuts. As the U.N. navigates these changes, the long-term impact of the U.S. exit from the Human Rights Council and its defunding of UNRWA remains uncertain.
RELATED: