WASHINGTON (AN) — The Trump administration lined up the entire world of international organizations to head to the potential chopping block.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday calling for a general review of all U.S. funding and involvement in the United Nations plus all other international organizations, conventions or treaties.
"So I've always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential. And it's not living up to that potential right now, it really isn't. Hasn't for a long time," he said in a White House ceremony while signing the order.
"There are great hopes for it, but it's not being well run, to be honest, and they're not doing the job," he said. "A lot of these conflicts that we're working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. We never seem to get help."
He added: "And based on the potential, we'll continue to go along with it but they gotta get their act together."
Trump ordered a review of "all international intergovernmental organizations of which the United States is a member and provides any type of funding or other support, and all conventions and treaties to which the United States is a party, to determine which organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States and whether such organizations, conventions, or treaties can be reformed."
His order calls for U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. relief agency for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, which supports millions of people in war-torn Gaza with life-saving aid.
UNESCO is singled out for a careful look at U.S. involvement.
Trump's order says the review of the U.N. agency, which supports education and science and protects world heritage sites, "will include an evaluation of how and if UNESCO supports United States interests. In particular, the review will include an analysis of any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization."
