Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed that the United Nations will persist with all its mandated activities following US President Donald Trump’s decision to sever ties with 31 UN-related entities and cease funding. Despite expressing regret over the US move, Guterres’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric emphasized that all UN entities will uphold their mandates as directed by member states. The US, under the UN Charter, is obligated to pay its assessed dues for both regular and peacekeeping budgets sanctioned by the General Assembly.
In response to the US action, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the targeted groups of attempting to limit US sovereignty and collaborating with elite networks, which he referred to as the “multilateral ‘NGO-plex’.” Trump’s directive, part of his America First initiative, instructed his administration to halt involvement in and financial support for 31 UN entities and 35 other organizations, including the India-based International Solar Alliance. The affected entities primarily focus on areas such as climate change, development, economy, trade, environment, and gender issues.
Noteworthy among the entities affected by Trump’s decision were the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Trade Centre, UN Framework Conference on Climate Change, UN Population Fund, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the special representatives of the secretary-general dealing with children in armed conflict, violence against children, and sexual violence in armed conflict. Dujarric reiterated the UN’s commitment to its work on climate, protection of children from violence, and gender issues, emphasizing the organization’s determination to carry out its mandates effectively.
For entities covered by the UN’s regular budget, Dujarric clarified that a country cannot selectively choose which ones to contribute to, as it is obligated to pay the entire dues. The US, with a 22% share of the regular budget amounting to $820 million last year, has not fulfilled its financial obligations to the UN, despite Congress approval. Trump’s administration has proposed a $610 million reduction in this year’s contribution. According to the Charter, a country risks losing its General Assembly voting rights if its arrears equal or exceed dues for the past two full years, but the US will retain its veto power in the Security Council even if it reaches that threshold.
Certain entities targeted by Trump, such as UNCTAD, receive dues directly from members rather than through the UN budget. Prior to the recent action against the UN, Trump had already withdrawn the US from UNESCO, UNRWA, and the UN Human Rights Council.
