BRUSSELS, Belgium: The United States has withdrawn from the board of a U.N. climate fund designed to help poor countries deal with climate-related disasters, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The decision is part of President Donald Trump's broader move to reduce U.S. support for climate action. Since taking office in January, his administration has stopped U.S. scientists from participating in global climate studies, ended funding for coal reduction programs, and withdrawn the country from the Paris climate agreement.

Nearly 200 nations had agreed to create the "loss and damage" fund at the COP28 climate summit in 2023, following years of demands from developing countries for help in dealing with extreme weather events.

Rebecca Lawlor, the U.S. representative on the fund's board, announced in a March 4 letter that both the U.S. board member and alternate member would step down and not be replaced. The withdrawal was effective immediately.

The U.S. Treasury Department did not respond to requests for comment. The climate fund is hosted by the World Bank, which a U.S.-appointed president leads, but the letter did not mention any changes to this arrangement or whether the U.S. was pulling out of the fund entirely.

As of January 23, wealthy nations had pledged $741 million to the fund, including $17.5 million from the United States. It is unclear if the U.S. will follow through on its commitment.

The fund is set to begin financing projects this year to help countries affected by droughts, floods, and other climate disasters. Activist Harjeet Singh criticized the U.S. decision, saying it does not remove the country's responsibility for climate damage. He pointed out that as the most extensive historical polluter, the U.S. shares significant blame for the climate crisis.