Friday 09 / January / 2026
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned the US that it is obliged to pay its dues, after the Trump administration announced a withdrawal from dozens of UN agencies.
On Wednesday, the White House said it was pulling out of 66 international bodies, around half of which were affiliated with the UN.
"Assessed contributions to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all member states, including the US," Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Thursday.
Dujarric added that the affected programs would continue to carry out their tasks.
"The UN has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us," he said.
The decision taken by US President Donald Trump's administration also means the country will stop funding other global initiatives not affiliated with the UN.
US officials have spoken about their intention to stop billions of dollars worth of funding for aid and funding for international organizations like the UN since Trump officially entered his second term as president.
Other countries, such as France and the UK, are also looking into their humanitarian funding, with some countries diverting the funds to military spending.
