What to make out of Trump’s recent withdrawal of the US from 66 further international organizations and agreements?

Selective, not comprehensive withdrawal from multilateralism:

• While unprecedented in its quantity, most abandoned institutions are small, low-stakes forums and sub-bodies within the UN. 

• Notable exceptions are e.g. UNFCC, IPCC, IRENA, UN Peacekeeping Commission.

Not erratic or driven by costs, but MAGA and power:

• US withdraws disproportionately target institutions governing "woke" topics such as climate, gender equality, LGTBQ rights, rule of law, that draw on science, and in which the US lacks influence like UNCTAD, UNFPA. 

• The US remains in major institutions relevant to its narrowly defined strategic interests and in which it can shape the agenda or block undesired decisions (e.g. UN, WTO, IMF, WorldBank, IAEA). 

• The latest move thus appears intended to cater MAGA and AmericaFirst ideology and to distract from the Epstein scandal.

More political than financial impact:

• The unprecedented abdication of international institutions and liberal norms challenges their legitimacy and provides an excuse for actors pushing for authoritarianism and revisionism like Russia and China.

• The material challenge is limited to stand-alone institutions with independent budget or (largely) voluntary funded bodies (e.g. trust funds); for those financed through assessed UN contributions US payments for 2026 remain to be seen. 

• The challenge is particularly strong for institutions governing public goods and for which US predominant power is particularly relevant like security and climate.

Europe should step up:

• Given its self-interest in sustaining a rules-based, multilateral order, Europe and Germany should strongly defend liberal norms against transgressions, fill the gaps left by the US, and strengthen esp. those int’ institutions that are essential to govern the global commons.