The United States announced Friday it is withdrawing from a nuclear arms control treaty with Russia. President Trump claimed that the Russians had violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty. Some analysts said they worried a new nuclear arms race could be sparked.
It’s the latest in a series of controversial moves by the Trump administration to pull out of international agreements and organizations. Here’s a list of what Trump has done so far — and threats he’s made of further withdrawals.
Paris climate agreement
Trump announced in June 2017 he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate accord. Trump sided with conservatives who argued the 2015 agreement was bad for the US economy. Critics said he was weakening global efforts to stop climate change.
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Iran nuclear deal
Trump announced in May 2018 he was pulling the United States out of the agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Experts said the move would isolate the United States from its allies who remained in the deal, and they worried that Iran could resume its push to get a nuclear weapon. So far, according to the US intelligence community, Iran hasn’t.
TPP
Shortly after he took office in 2017, Trump pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement that included 12 Pacific Rim countries. Trump said he was doing it for American workers. Critics said he was creating an opening for economic heavyweight China to expand its influence in the region.
NAFTA
Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the trade pact between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He has negotiated a new agreement with the two countries, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but now needs congressional approval for it. It’s not clear whether he will get it and, if not, what happens next.
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UNESCO
The Trump administration announced in October 2017 it would withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization.
UNHRC
The Trump administration withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2018.
UNRWA
The Trump administration announced in August 2018 it was ending its decades of funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency, which helps Palestinian refugees.
Could NATO be next?
Several times over the course of 2018, Trump privately said he wanted to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, senior administration officials told the New York Times. Critics say withdrawing would embolden Russia and endanger peace in Europe. Days after the Times report in mid-January, the US House passed bipartisan legislation expressing support for NATO. The Senate also has a bipartisan bill pending that is aimed at preventing the president from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval.