President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping reassessment of the United States’ involvement in the United Nations, citing concerns over financial imbalances, institutional inefficiencies, and what he described as “deep anti-American bias” within key UN bodies.
During a press conference at the White House, Trump confirmed that his administration had prepared an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), as well as to review its participation in UNESCO. The order also calls for a broader evaluation of U.S. financial contributions to the UN and its various agencies.
Criticism of the UN’s Effectiveness
Trump, who has long been critical of the UN, argued that the organisation had not lived up to its intended purpose. “I’ve always felt that the UN has tremendous potential, but it is not living up to that potential right now,” he stated. “It really isn’t and hasn’t for a long time.”
The president went on to criticise what he views as the UN’s failure to address global conflicts effectively.
“We are working on lots of these conflicts, and they should be settled, or we should have some help in settling them, but we never seem to get help,” Trump said. “That should be the primary purpose of the UN—the United Nations.”
He warned that the UN’s credibility was at risk if it did not reform its practices. “They need to be fair to countries. Some countries are outliers that are really bad and are almost preferred as countries to those that do their job and do a good job,” he said. “They have to really get their act together, or they will end up losing lots of countries. Their credibility will be gone, and then they will be nothing.”
U.S. Financial Contributions Under Scrutiny
A central issue in Trump’s critique was the financial burden placed on the U.S. in comparison to other member states. “We are as you know, the United Nations is largely funded by us,” he said. “But it shouldn’t be. It should be funded by everybody, but we are disproportionately funding it, as we always seem to be.”
Trump did not specify immediate funding cuts but indicated that financial contributions were being reviewed. “We are taking away a little bit, but we are not looking to take away money,” he said. “This is so important that if the UN ever lived up to its potential, in ten minutes it would make up the difference. That’s the kind of power it could have. Right now, it doesn’t have that power.”
His remarks echoed past criticisms of UN funding imbalances. The U.S. has historically been the largest financial contributor to the UN, covering about 22% of its regular budget and roughly 25% of the peacekeeping budget. Trump has previously argued that this level of funding is unfair, given the economic capabilities of other nations.
Withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council and UNRWA
Trump’s executive order includes a provision for withdrawing the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council, which he accused of being biased against the U.S. and its allies. “In light of numerous actions taken by a number of bodies at the United Nations which exhibited deep anti-American bias, we are preparing an executive order,” a senior White House official stated during the briefing.
The president was also sharply critical of UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees. He reaffirmed his administration’s decision to end U.S. contributions to the agency, which were cut during his first term in office. “UNRWA has done nothing but perpetuate the problem,” Trump stated. “We are not going to continue funding organisations that do not serve American interests.”
Trump had previously suspended U.S. funding for UNRWA in 2018, arguing that the agency’s definition of Palestinian refugees was flawed and that it contributed to instability rather than resolving the refugee issue.
Review of U.S. Participation in UNESCO
Trump also signalled a renewed focus on reviewing U.S. involvement in UNESCO, the UN’s cultural and educational body. “More generally, the executive order calls for a review of American involvement in funding the UN in light of the wild disparities in levels of funding among different countries that, as you’ve expressed previously, is deeply unfair to the United States,” an official explained.
The U.S. has a history of contentious relations with UNESCO. The Trump administration previously withdrew from the organisation in 2017, citing anti-Israel bias, though the Biden administration later rejoined. Trump’s new executive order suggests that U.S. participation in UNESCO could once again be reassessed.
The Future of U.S.-UN Relations
Despite his criticisms, Trump did not advocate for a full withdrawal from the UN but instead suggested that major reforms were necessary. “Based on the potential, we will continue to go along with it, but they have to get their act together,” he said.
Asked what specific reforms he would like to see, Trump responded, “They need to be fair. They need to function properly. They need to stop protecting bad actors while punishing countries that actually contribute positively.”
He reiterated that if the UN were properly managed, it could be a powerful force for good. “The potential of the United Nations is fantastic if properly run,” he said. “So, we will see what happens.”
Implications for Global Governance
Trump’s push to reassess U.S. involvement in the UN comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. His remarks reflect a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy under his administration, favouring unilateral action over multilateral engagement.
Critics argue that withdrawing from key UN bodies could weaken America’s influence in global governance. However, Trump and his supporters contend that the U.S. should not fund organisations that do not serve its interests.
As the review progresses, it remains unclear how deep the cuts will be and whether other countries will step in to fill potential funding gaps. What is certain, however, is that Trump’s approach marks a significant shift in U.S.-UN relations, with major implications for international diplomacy.
