The United States has informed Congress of its intention to pay $850 million toward its outstanding dues to the United Nations. This represents the largest payment made by the Trump administration to the U.N. since it began demanding significant reforms in exchange for continued U.S. financial support. The U.S. is the world body's largest financial contributor.
The State Department outlined plans to transfer $725 million for the regular U.N. budget and $125 million for peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti. The notifications were sent to lawmakers this month.
According to the United Nations, the U.S. owes approximately $5 billion in dues. This includes over $2 billion for the regular budget and $3 billion for peacekeeping missions.
In February, the administration made a $160 million payment shortly after U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned of potential financial collapse if member states did not fulfill their obligations. The U.S. did not make any payments to the United Nations in 2025.
President Donald Trump and his allies have advocated for substantial changes within the U.N. system, leading to reduced program funding and withdrawals from organizations like the World Health Organization and UNESCO.
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed initial objections to the planned payments, arguing they do not sufficiently address concerns about U.N. staffing levels and ideological positions. One GOP congressional aide noted that the notifications did not appear to strongly address the withholding of U.S. assistance to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.