America’s Refusal to Pay Threatens 80 Years of Global Cooperation

The Trump administration owes the United Nations nearly $4 billion in unpaid contributions, a staggering debt that could spark the “imminent financial collapse” of the international body that has anchored global peace and cooperation since World War II ended. This isn’t just about money—it’s about America’s commitment to the rules-based international order that has prevented another world war for eight decades.

According to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the organization is “waiting to see exactly when payments will be made and in what amount.” The United States made zero payments to the UN in 2025, leaving the global body scrambling to maintain operations that range from peacekeeping missions to humanitarian aid.

The Staggering Numbers Behind the Crisis

The financial breakdown reveals the depth of America’s abandonment of its international obligations:

• $2.2 billion owed to the UN’s regular operating budget
• $1.8 billion owed for peacekeeping operations
• $767 million due for 2026 alone
• 95% of all UN arrears come from the United States

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the organization could run out of cash by July 2026 if member nations don’t pay their dues. In a letter to all 193 member states, Guterres described a “Kafkaesque” situation where the UN must credit back unspent funds even when it never received the money in the first place.

“We are suffering a double blow: on one side, unpaid contributions; and on the other side, an obligation to return funds that were never received in the first place,” Guterres wrote. “In other words, we are trapped in a Kafkaesque cycle; expected to give back cash that does not exist.”

Why Does America Owe So Much?

The amount each UN member country pays is determined by its gross national income and income per capita. As the world’s largest economy, the United States historically pays the most—roughly 22% of the UN’s total budget. China follows at 20%, with Japan a distant third at just 6.9%.

This isn’t a new problem. President Trump has openly criticized the UN, calling its climate change efforts a “con job” and dismissing the organization as ineffective. “All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up,” Trump said during his 2025 address to the UN General Assembly.

But Trump’s actions go beyond rhetoric. His administration has:

1. Withdrawn from multiple UN organizations
2. Pulled funding from dozens of UN agencies
3. Attempted to cut $7.9 billion from State Department accounts that include UN funding
4. Proposed an 83% reduction in international organization funding

The Real-World Consequences

The UN’s financial crisis isn’t just an accounting problem—it has life-or-death implications for millions of people worldwide.

Peacekeeping Operations at Risk

The UN currently operates peacekeeping missions in conflict zones across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. These missions protect civilians, monitor ceasefires, and help prevent the spread of violence. Without adequate funding, these operations could collapse, leaving vulnerable populations exposed to violence.

Humanitarian Aid in Jeopardy

The UN coordinates humanitarian responses to natural disasters, famines, and refugee crises. According to estimates, hundreds of thousands of people died due to the end of USAID assistance last year. The UN’s collapse could multiply that death toll exponentially.

Global Health Under Threat

The Trump administration also owes the World Health Organization fees from 2024-2026, leaving the WHO $260 million out of pocket. This comes on top of America’s formal withdrawal from the global health agency, which had contributed 18% of its funding.

A Pattern of Financial Abandonment

Trump’s UN debt is part of a broader pattern of refusing to honor America’s international financial commitments:

• WHO debt: $260 million owed from 2024-2026
• Foreign aid cuts: $4.9 billion in proposed rescissions
• International development: $3.2 billion in proposed cuts
• Peacekeeping funds: $326 million in proposed cuts

The administration attempted what’s called a “pocket rescission”—submitting a rescission request less than 45 days before the end of the fiscal year, effectively preventing Congress from approving or rejecting the cuts. The Government Accountability Office ruled this action violated the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act.

What Happens If America Doesn’t Pay?

The consequences of continued non-payment extend beyond the UN’s budget crisis.

Loss of Voting Rights

Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, if the United States falls two years behind in its payment obligations, it could lose the right to vote in the General Assembly. This would be an unprecedented humiliation for a nation that helped found the UN and has been a permanent member of the Security Council since 1945.

Damaged Credibility

“Trump may think there is some short-run benefit in stiffing contractors, not paying bills or breaking the law, but over time there is a price to pay, and the world will react in ways that do not serve U.S. interests,” said James Love, director of health NGO Knowledge Ecology International.

Weakened Global Influence

By refusing to fund the UN while simultaneously promoting his “Board of Peace”—where countries can buy permanent seats for $1 billion—Trump appears to be building an alternative to the UN that critics say resembles a colonial structure.

The Historical Context Matters

This isn’t the first time a Republican president has withheld UN funding. During President Ronald Reagan’s two terms, the U.S. frequently withheld part of its dues hoping to extract reforms. That decision set off a chain of debts that took until the late 1990s to untangle.

But even Reagan never simply refused to pay at all. Trump’s complete non-payment in 2025 represents an unprecedented break with 80 years of American leadership in global affairs.

Who Will Fill the Gap?

With America stepping back, other nations are considering whether to increase their contributions. The European Union and non-traditional donors like Saudi Arabia may step up financially, but experts warn that money alone can’t replace American expertise and institutional knowledge.

“The loss of expertise, institutional memory and contacts cannot be replaced, at least in the mid term,” said Jaume Vidal, a consultant on access to medicines.

Only 60 countries had paid their annual dues by the February 8 deadline. Venezuela, which owes $38 million, has already lost its voting rights for being two years in arrears.

A Glimmer of Hope?

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz reportedly told Secretary-General Guterres that the Trump administration would make a “significant down payment” on its arrears “in a matter of weeks.” However, the exact amount remains unknown, and the administration’s track record suggests skepticism is warranted.

Waltz has acknowledged the UN’s importance, telling the New York Post, “There needs to be one place in the world where everyone can talk. We want that one place in the world to be in the United States, not in Brussels or Beijing.”

But those words ring hollow when America refuses to pay its bills.

What This Means for You

You might wonder why you should care about UN funding when there are problems at home. Here’s why it matters:

Global stability affects local security. The UN helps prevent conflicts that could draw America into costly wars. Peacekeeping missions cost a fraction of what the U.S. spends when it has to intervene militarily.

Disease doesn’t respect borders. The WHO and UN health programs help prevent pandemics before they reach American shores. COVID-19 showed us how quickly a disease can spread globally.

Economic interconnection. Global instability disrupts trade, raises prices, and costs American jobs. The UN helps maintain the international order that allows American businesses to thrive.

The Bottom Line

Trump’s $4 billion UN debt isn’t just a budget dispute—it’s a fundamental question about America’s role in the world. For 80 years, the United States has led the international community in building a system that, while imperfect, has prevented another world war and lifted billions out of poverty.

By refusing to pay its dues, the Trump administration is dismantling that system without offering a viable alternative. The consequences won’t just be felt in New York or Geneva—they’ll ripple across the globe, affecting peace, health, and prosperity for generations to come.

The UN isn’t perfect. It needs reform. But abandoning it entirely—or letting it collapse through financial starvation—would be a catastrophic mistake that future Americans will pay for in blood and treasure.

Call to Action

The UN funding crisis affects all of us. Contact your representatives in Congress and demand they ensure America honors its international commitments. Share this story with friends and family who care about America’s role in the world. Leave a comment below with your thoughts on how the U.S. should balance domestic priorities with international obligations.