Traditional multilateralism is dead, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed, as America exits 66 international organizations flagged as drains on resources and threats to sovereignty. President Trump’s recent memorandum cements this pivot away from what the administration views as obsolete globalism.
In a fiery Substack essay, Rubio dissected the crumbling ‘international system’—hundreds of murky agencies clashing in roles, repeating tasks, underperforming, and marred by financial and ethical lapses. Unfettered funding for such entities is over, he vowed.
A meticulous review process vetted each for utility, management, cost-effectiveness, and pro-U.S. outcomes. The culled list includes the superfluous, the extravagant, and those swayed by anti-American forces.
Rubio argued that sustaining these failures dishonors hardworking Americans and hinders worldwide progress on energy, economy, and autonomy. U.S. involvement falsely validates their irrelevance.
He named names: UN Population Fund’s abortion funding scandals; UN Women’s definitional confusion; climate framework’s misguided allocations to ‘anti-energy’ causes in hotspots; Permanent Forum’s racially charged reparations agenda.
Their legacy? Chronic underachievement, verging on sabotage. ‘Americans, allies, and billions relying on us deserve excellence,’ Rubio concluded. This bold pruning sets the stage for pragmatic, America-first diplomacy that delivers tangible wins.