US Declares End of Traditional Multilateralism Era

Washington, January 10 – The United States announced on Saturday that the era of traditional multilateralism has come to an end. This declaration follows closely after the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from 66 international organisations, which were described as wasteful, ineffective, and contrary to American national interests.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised the current “international system” as being overloaded with hundreds of opaque organisations whose responsibilities overlap, efforts are duplicated, outcomes are weak, and financial and ethical management is poor.

In a post on his Substack, Rubio stated, “The era of giving unconditional checks to international bureaucracies is over.”

This week, President Donald Trump formalised the decision to exit these organisations through a presidential memorandum. According to the administration, these bodies are either unnecessary, poorly managed, wasteful, or influenced by interests that undermine America’s sovereignty, freedom, and prosperity.

Rubio emphasised that investing in such organisations no longer serves the interests of American taxpayers or helps address global challenges. “It is unacceptable to continue spending American citizens’ hard-earned money on institutions that fail to deliver results, accountability, or respect for our national interests,” he said.

The Secretary of State accused continued US involvement of merely legitimising these institutions, whose models have failed billions, especially on issues like affordable energy, economic growth, and national sovereignty.

He cited several United Nations-affiliated bodies as examples, accusing the UN Population Fund of funding forced abortions and criticising UN Women for its unclear definition of “woman.” Rubio also targeted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change for spending millions on what he called “climate alarmists and anti-energy investments” in regions like the West Bank and Gaza.

Additionally, he alleged that the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent has adopted openly racist policies by supporting global reparations, highlighting ongoing ethical concerns.

“These organisations have a consistent record of failure, if not outright ill intent. The American people, our partners, and the billions worldwide who look to the US for leadership deserve better,” Rubio asserted.

The US State Department confirmed that the decision to withdraw was made after an extensive review process evaluating the organisations’ purpose, function, efficiency, effectiveness, and their ability to advance US national interests.