The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that the United States has decided to exit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

UNESCO runs the influential World Heritage Sites program. There are 26 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the United States

"Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States," a State Department spokeswoman said in the statement, also adding that "UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals,