The United Nations is facing in a financial crisis that could leave the organization unable to pay its staff by September, according to recent reports.
The situation has worsened following President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw U.S. membership and end funding to key UN organizations, which regularly condemn the United States and act against American interests.
The international body reported a $200 million cash shortfall in 2024, with internal models projecting the deficit to grow to $1.1 billion by the end of 2025 if budget cuts aren’t implemented.
The United States previously contributed approximately $2.3 billion annually or about 20% of the UN’s budget.
On February 4, President Trump signed an executive order stating, “The United States will not fund UNRWA or the UNHRC and that the United States will not satisfy any claims to pay 2025 assessments or prior arrears by these organizations.” A leaked April memo suggested even broader cuts, proposing to end U.S. funding not only to the UN and its peacekeeping missions but also to NATO and 20 other international organizations.
Only 49 of the organization’s 193 member states paid their mandatory dues on time in 2025. China, which matches the U.S. in providing roughly 20% of the UN’s budget, has also begun falling behind on payments.
Critics of the UN, including Brett Schaefer, have questioned the organization’s value to American interests, particularly citing concerns about UNRWA’s alleged connections to Hamas and the failure of UN bodies like the Human Rights Council to condemn countries such as China and Cuba for human rights abuses.