UN Chief and UNGA President Warn Trump’s UN Withdrawals and Venezuela Raid Undermine International Law at UNGA 80th Anniversary
At the UN General Assembly’s 80th‑anniversary commemoration in London’s Methodist Central Hall, Secretary‑General António Guterres warned that international law is being “trampled,” citing slashed aid, widening inequality, accelerating climate chaos and underfunded UN agencies — problems he linked to more than half of member states (including the United States) failing to pay agreed contributions and to Washington’s executive order withdrawing the U.S. from dozens of international bodies. UNGA President Annalena Baerbock added that UN principles are “not only under pressure, but under heavy attack,” urging citizens to stand up for and defend the organization.
📌 Key Facts
- At the UN General Assembly’s 80th‑anniversary commemoration held at London’s Methodist Central Hall, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres said 2025 was “profoundly challenging” for international cooperation, citing slashed aid, widening inequality, accelerating “climate chaos” and international law being “trampled.”
- Guterres warned many U.N. agencies are underfunded because more than half of member countries — including the United States — have not paid their agreed contributions, which is limiting humanitarian and climate work.
- The reporting links the U.S. decision — a recent executive order withdrawing the country from 66 international organizations, including 31 UN‑linked bodies — to the UN’s funding shortfalls and Guterres’ alarm about weakening international institutions.
- UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told the same London gathering that UN principles are “not only under pressure, but under heavy attack,” warned that “not all of us are singing from the same songbook anymore,” and urged citizens to “stand up for” and defend the UN.
- The leaders’ warnings were delivered at a marquee 80th‑anniversary UNGA event, underlining the symbolic concern that recent withdrawals and actions are undermining international law and the UN system.
📊 Relevant Data
The United States is assessed 22% of the United Nations regular budget, making it the largest contributor, followed by China at 20% and Japan at 6.9%.
United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding to the UN System — Congress.gov
Global military expenditure reached $2,718 billion in 2024, an increase of 9.4% in real terms from 2023, marking the steepest year-on-year rise since at least 2009.
Unprecedented rise in global military expenditure as European and Middle East spending surges — SIPRI
US withdrawal from 31 UN agencies reduces American influence in global decision-making, including on grants to countries, and undercuts stable funding for mechanisms supporting international development and trade.
Opting Out: United States to Stop Engaging with More UN Entities — CSIS
The US military operation in Venezuela was prompted by allegations of high-ranking officials' involvement in cocaine trafficking, with the country serving as a key transit point, and preceded by a cyberattack on Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA in December 2025 that disrupted operations.
The Wider Implications of US Action in Venezuela: RUSI Experts React — RUSI
Migration from Venezuela shows varying intensities by age, with higher rates among working-age adults (ages 20-40) compared to children and elderly, contributing to demographic shifts such as population aging in Venezuela.
The demography of crisis-driven outflows from Venezuela — IPC2025
In Sudan, nearly 2.5 million refugees were recorded by the end of 2025, a 65% increase from the start of hostilities, with a significant portion being women and children fleeing conflict zones.
The largest refugee crises to know in 2026 — Concern Worldwide US
From Gaza, up to 1.7 million people (over 75% of the population) were displaced between October and December 2023, with children comprising about 47% of the population affected by ongoing conflict.
UNHCR Global Trends report 2023 — UNHCR
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"An opinion piece arguing that durable human‑rights protection depends on capable, accountable nation‑states rather than politicized international institutions, and that this perspective reframes criticisms—such as the UN’s condemnation of the U.S. Venezuela raid—by emphasizing pragmatic state action to protect rights."
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Guterres used the UN General Assembly’s 80th‑anniversary event in London to say 2025 was 'profoundly challenging' for international cooperation, citing slashed aid, widening inequality, accelerating 'climate chaos' and 'trampled' international law.
- He warned that 'many U.N. agencies are underfunded' because more than half of member countries, including the United States, have not paid their agreed contributions, limiting humanitarian and climate work.
- The article directly links Trump’s recent executive order withdrawing the U.S. from 66 international organizations, including 31 UN‑linked bodies, to Guterres’ alarm about UN underfunding.
- UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told the same London gathering that UN principles are 'not only under pressure, but under heavy attack' and that 'not all of us are singing from the same songbook anymore,' urging citizens to 'stand up for' and defend the UN.
- The story situates these comments at the symbolic original UNGA venue in London’s Methodist Central Hall, underlining that the warnings come at a marquee 80th‑anniversary commemoration.