United States withdraws from European anti-corruption watchdog GRECO

The Trump administration has officially withdrawn the United States from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), a prominent anti-corruption watchdog overseen by the Council of Europe. The State Department stated that participation in the group, which requires annual monetary contributions, “does not provide tangible benefits to U.S. national security.”

Officials indicated that the administration is prioritizing “higher-impact tools” to fight corruption, such as sanctions, visa restrictions, and targeted foreign assistance, rather than funding international bureaucracies. The U.S. joins Russia and Belarus as the only other nations to have previously left the organization.

This move follows a pattern of disengagement from multilateral agencies. The U.S. has previously withdrawn from the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, and the Venice Commission. Additionally, the U.S. recently declined to invite members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to observe upcoming congressional midterm elections.