The United States (US) government has officially withdrawn from the Open Government Partnership (OGP), marking a significant departure from the global transparency initiative first launched as a signature project of the Obama administration, reports ITREALMS.
The exit was solidified through a formal Letter of Withdrawal dated January 15, 2026. Signed by the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), Edward Forst, and addressed directly to OGP leadership, the letter effectuated a directive rooted in the White House Memorandum 2026-00976.
The withdrawal formalizes a trend long cautioned by transparency advocates, scholars, and democratic watchdogs. Critics argue that under the current Donald Trump administration, the executive branch has pivoted sharply away from core commitments to government transparency, institutional accountability, and public collaboration.
ITREALMS also gathered that the move follows a series of systemic changes, including the closure of the Federal Advisory Committee on Open Government, the dissolution of the Open Government Secretariat, and a notable absence from recent high-level OGP Summits.
This executive action, ITREALMS gathered, formally notified the international community of the U.S. government’s decision to terminate its membership, marking a definitive end to its role as a founding member of the coalition.
The withdrawal formalizes a trend long cautioned by transparency advocates, scholars, and democratic watchdogs. Critics argue that under the current Donald Trump administration, the executive branch has pivoted sharply away from core commitments to government transparency, institutional accountability, and public collaboration.
ITREALMS also gathered that the move follows a series of systemic changes, including the closure of the Federal Advisory Committee on Open Government, the dissolution of the Open Government Secretariat, and a notable absence from recent high-level OGP Summits.
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Analysts suggested that this voluntary, multi-stakeholder approach to governance is effectively "moribund" in the U.S. under the current political leadership.
While the administration’s exit signals a decline in executive-led transparency, civic stakeholders remain resilient.
While the administration’s exit signals a decline in executive-led transparency, civic stakeholders remain resilient.
As 2026 unfolds, the U.S. Congress, the judiciary, the free press, and independent watchdogs are expected to intensify efforts to uphold the rule of law and hold public officials accountable for maladministration and corruption.
Chuks Egbune / Editor
Chuks Egbune / Editor
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