On his first day in the Oval Office, newly-inaugurated President Joe Biden did 17 things. Using executive orders to conduct 17 items, Biden reversed many actions by presidential predecessor Donald Trump. The sanctity of two items, rejoining the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, related to the United Nations, are in limbo again.
Despite U.S. retreat from these UN agencies, the United Nations Association of the United States of America remains dedicated to their work, demonstrated most recently by their annual UNA-USA Leadership Summit. This year, the event was hosted by the Gateway City, St. Louis, a deviation from the usual venue in Washington D.C.
The flagship gathering saw UN leaders, advocates and changemakers gather at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for three days of programming under one theme: “Meeting the Moment — Our Moment.” The summit was held on Nov. 14-16.
“In 2025, as global funding for the UN has been slashed while humanitarian crises multiply, we cannot sit on the sidelines,” the online registration form for the event said. “The stakes are too high — and our voices are too important to stay quiet.”
Breakout sessions, keynote speakers, interactive service projects and the annual awards ceremony filled the event agenda. The annual conference worked to build public support for the UN, by bringing individuals passionate about the UN together and showing what happens “when Americans lead with purpose.”
Sophia Kianni, the youngest advisor to the UN ever, spoke on the last day about the importance of young people leading innovative projects.
“Never let anyone convince you that age limits your impact,” high school student and aspiring physician-scientist Shivi Kumar said in her acceptance speech for the 2025 UNA-USA Young Leader of the Year Award. “Start before you feel ready.”
The UNA-USA has opposed the Trump administration in its criticisms of and actions against the UN.
“We urge the Trump administration to reconsider these decisions and keep the U.S. engaged with the UN,” UNA-USA said in a statement following U.S. withdrawal from the WHO and the Paris Climate Accords. “The world needs American leadership, and our future depends on it.”
While President Trump has not expressed a desire to withdraw the United States from the UN as a whole, his “America First” foreign policy has withdrawn the country from specific UN agencies, including the WHO, the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The former faced American pullout twice, once in President Trump’s first term and a second time in his second term, after President Biden had rejoined the organization.
In January 2025, President Trump notified the UN of U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, an action that occurred during this first term and is currently in progress. The Trump administration has reduced financial contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides aid to refugees.
Criticisms of the UN by Trump and his administration cite concerns about “woke” agenda, anti-American biases and disproportionate funding by the United States for UN programs. Trump allies have supported the total withdrawal of the United States from the UN.
“President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.
On the UNA-USA website, there are ways to send messages to your elected officials about funding the UN and opposing the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords.
“You don’t have to work inside the UN to change the world,” UN Representative for the International Alliance of Women Soon-Young Yoon said in her speech at the event.
The message is clear, UNA-USA isn’t going anywhere, but the fight is far from over.
