The Trump administration is preparing to send an initial payment toward billions in overdue United Nations dues — but not without making sure the world’s most bloated bureaucracy finally gets the message: no reform, no blank checks.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the payment will come with conditions, pushing back hard against claims that America caused the U.N.’s financial mess. According to Waltz, the opposite is true.
“The United States pays to the U.N. system more than 180 countries combined,” Waltz said. “We have historically been the largest supporter of the U.N., but under President Trump, we’re demanding reform.” Translation: if you’re going to cash America’s check, you’d better start acting like it matters.
That pressure is already paying off. Waltz said the U.N. has agreed to cut nearly 3,000 headquarters jobs and passed its first budget reduction in 80 years. The organization is also planning to shrink global peacekeeping forces by 25%. Apparently, trimming bureaucracy is possible when the funding faucet is tightened.
As of early February, the U.S. owes about $2.19 billion to the U.N.’s regular budget, along with $2.4 billion in unpaid peacekeeping assessments and $43.6 million for U.N. tribunals. President Donald Trump signed a spending bill on Feb. 3 that includes $3.1 billion for U.S. dues to the U.N. and other international organizations.
“You’ll certainly see an initial tranche of money very shortly,” Waltz said. “It’ll be a significant down payment on our annual dues.” In other words, the check is coming — but accountability is coming with it.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently warned that the organization faces “imminent financial collapse” and could run out of money by July. Waltz had a simpler explanation for the crisis: too much spending, too little results.
“The U.N.’s budget has quadrupled in the last 25 years,” Waltz said. “We haven’t seen a quadrupling of peace around the world. In fact, it’s gone the opposite direction.” Funny how that works.
Waltz also pointed to duplication inside the organization, noting that seven separate U.N. agencies list climate change as their main mission. “Now, regardless of the climate change debate, we don’t need seven,” he said. Apparently, even global warming doesn’t need that many offices.
Under President Trump, the message to the United Nations is clear: America will pay its share, but it will no longer bankroll waste, redundancy, and failure. Reform is no longer optional — it’s the price of admission.
For the first time in decades, the U.N. is being forced to slim down and focus on results instead of rhetoric. And thanks to Trump’s tough stance, American taxpayer dollars are finally buying leverage instead of excuses.
