U.S. Withdrawal from Multilateral Institutions: Implications for the Global Order

BIPSS Research Assistant Jannatul Toba Jhumu observed that recent U.S. withdrawals from multilateral institutions mark a critical turning point for the global order. She examines how the retreat of the United States from key international organizations and treaties has weakened global governance mechanisms, strained humanitarian and development systems, and undermined the legitimacy of rules-based multilateral cooperation. While framed domestically as efforts to reclaim sovereignty and rebalance responsibilities, she notes that these actions have produced far-reaching consequences for climate governance, public health, human rights, and international trade.

She emphasized that the cumulative impact of repeated U.S. disengagement goes beyond individual institutions, accelerating fragmentation, shifting normative influence to other global powers, and eroding trust in international law. Toba argues that sustaining global stability will require renewed U.S. commitment to principled multilateral engagement, predictable funding, and leadership grounded in shared norms. Without such a course correction, she concludes, the international system risks becoming increasingly transactional, divided, and less capable of addressing transnational challenges that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations worldwide.