The General Services Administration (GSA) announced that the United States is leaving the Open Government Partnership (OGP), citing U.S. efforts to cut costs and drive efficiency and diverging principles under the Trump administration.
OGP was created in 2011 to connect governments and civil society to pursue transparency, accountability, and civic participation through time-bound action plans –often on access to information, anti-corruption, and open data. It was launched by former President Barack Obama and seven other heads of state at a U.N. General Assembly meeting.
In a letter dated Jan. 15, GSA Administrator Edward Forst wrote that the United States “is committed to transparency and accountability but cannot support an organization that wastes money, promotes harmful ideological agendas, and degrades American sovereignty and democratic integrity. By withdrawing from OGP, we reaffirm our dedication to American values and priorities.”
Forst wrote that OGP is ineffective and has challenged U.S. sovereignty by trying to “dictate policy requirements, censor the speech of Americans or pass judgment upon the elected Government of the United States.” He added that the organization supports diversity, equity, and inclusion principles that are not in alignment with the Trump administration’s values.
The Trump administration’s push for cost-cutting and efficiency – spearheaded last year by the Department of Government Efficiency and slashes to the federal workforce and programs – also played a role in GSA’s decision, according to Forst.
The administrator said that “the U.S. Government is committed to fighting waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds … To date, American taxpayers have contributed more than $5.6 million to OGP … This outlay has produced no significant benefits for the American people.”
OGP played a role in major U.S. technology-related efforts, including those aimed at expanding access to government data, modernizing digital transparency tools, and using online platforms to increase public participation.
The efforts pushed for a government-wide Federal Data Strategy, improving Freedom of Information Act systems, and expanding online channels for public feedback on policy and services.
However, those efforts were implemented unevenly and depended heavily on shifting political priorities, according to OGP.
In a statement on GSA’s decision to leave OGP, Aidan Eyakuze, CEO of OGP, called the move unsurprising. He said that OGP recognizes “the impressive efforts of reformers in government and civil society who have advanced openness and accountability over the years.”
“We remain hopeful that the United States will rejoin the Open Government Partnership at the right moment, bringing energy and commitment back to this shared endeavor of making government better through domestic and global collaboration,” Eyakuze added.