US withdraws from international cyber bodies under Trump directive

Trump administration says the institutions are mismanaged and redundant in their scope

The US, following a directive from President Trump, is withdrawing from several key international cybersecurity and hybrid threat organisations, citing concerns over mismanagement and conflicts with national sovereignty. Experts are worried about the impact on global cybersecurity.

The United States is pulling out of several international organisations involved in cybersecurity and countering hybrid threats, following a directive signed by President Donald Trump.

The move is part of a broader withdrawal from 66 international bodies that the White House says are no longer in the national interest.

Among those affected are the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, and the International Law Commission.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the institutions had been judged "redundant, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful" or incompatible with US sovereignty.

"President Trump is clear: it is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it," Mr Rubio said.

He also criticised what he described as "DEI mandates", "gender equity campaigns" and activities that "constrain American sovereignty".

"We will not continue expending resources, diplomatic capital, and the legitimizing weight of our participation in institutions that are irrelevant to or in conflict with our interests. We reject inertia and ideology in favor of prudence and purpose."

Cybersecurity experts warn the decision could weaken global efforts to combat cybercrime.

They also caution that cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors may seek to exploit any coordination gaps that emerge as a result of the US pullback, at a time when global cyber threats continue to grow in scale and sophistication.

For more than a decade, the US has played a central role in international cyber cooperation, working with partners to disrupt ransomware networks, counter election interference, share intelligence on emerging threats and coordinate responses to major cyber incidents.

Cyber and hybrid threat coalitions typically bring together governments, intelligence agencies, computer emergency response teams and, in some cases, private companies.

Their work often includes cross-border intelligence sharing, joint attribution of cyberattacks and capacity-building to strengthen cyber resilience.

Analysts say US withdrawal could reduce funding, technical expertise and political influence within these forums, potentially slowing early-warning systems for global cyber threats.

The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, one of the organisations the US is leaving, focuses on issues such as cybercrime, critical infrastructure protection, emerging technologies and cyber skills.

Its members include governments, Interpol and major technology firms such as Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto Networks and Mastercard.

The forum has previously said it supports gender inclusivity, describing gender as "a cross-cutting issue" linked to international peace and security.

Private-sector companies are also watching the developments closely. The decision could leave many multinational firms facing slower or more fragmented threat intelligence, increasing pressure on corporate security teams and driving greater reliance on commercial or regional alternatives.

Alexandra Givens, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, warned the move would have long-term consequences.

"Americans should be concerned that their government is abandoning longstanding efforts to advance democracy, defend human rights online, and stop the abuses of spyware, particularly as free expression comes under attack from governments around the world — including our own," Givens said.

"US participation in international collaboration on human rights standards helps keep Americans safe."