The Political Thread

[Chris]

Trump administration withdraws from UNESCO again, only 2 years after US rejoined

The decision comes two years after the Biden administration rejoined following a controversial, five-year absence that began during President Donald Trump’s first term.

apnews.com

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it will once again withdraw from the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, an expected move that has the U.S. further retreating from international organizations.

The decision to pull U.S. funding and participation from UNESCO comes two years after the Biden administration rejoined following a controversial, five-year absence that began during President Donald Trump’s first term. The White House cited similar concerns as it did in 2018, saying it believes U.S. involvement is not in its national interest and accusing the agency of promoting anti-Israel speech.

The decision, which won’t go into effect until December 2026, will deal a blow to an agency known for preserving cultural heritage through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites program — which recognizes significant landmarks for protection, ranging from the Taj Mahal to Egypt’s pyramids of Giza and the Grand Canyon National Park. The agency also empowers education and science across the globe.

 

[Chris]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/us/politics/state-department-trump-harvard.html

The Trump administration has opened a new investigation into Harvard University’s compliance with a government-run visa program for international students and professors, targeting the elite college with the third aggressive action since the two sides restarted talks to end their acrimonious dispute.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified Dr. Alan M. Garber, the president of Harvard, of the investigation in a letter on Wednesday, according to a copy of the correspondence reviewed by The New York Times.

Mr. Rubio did not refer to any specific allegation of wrongdoing and instead said the inquiry was necessary “to assist the department in meeting its policy objectives.”

 

[Comrade Khan]

So much waste of money for a government that says it wants to cut spending. Weird !