United Nations Funding and U.S. Arrears

The United Nations says it is waiting to learn how much of the nearly $4 billion the United States owes it will actually be paid, and when, after U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz told diplomats the Trump administration plans a 'significant down payment' on arrears in the coming weeks. According to UN figures, Washington owes about $2.196 billion to the regular operating budget — including $767 million for this year alone — and another roughly $1.8 billion to the separate peacekeeping budget, following a year in which the administration paid nothing and pulled out of bodies such as the WHO and UNESCO. Secretary‑General António Guterres has warned in a letter to all 193 member states that the UN’s regular budget could run out of cash by July without overhauled financial rules or full payment of dues, raising the prospect of disrupted operations and staff cutbacks. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres and the UN controller have been in sustained contact with U.S. officials but are still 'waiting to see exactly when payments will be made and in what amount.' UN officials note that about 95% of the arrears on the regular budget are owed by the U.S., underscoring how the funding shortfall is overwhelmingly driven by Washington’s posture and how any payment decision will shape both the UN’s solvency and U.S. influence in New York.