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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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The U.S. has made the first payment on a significant debt owed to the United Nations (U.N.) shortly after the world body had warned it faced "imminent financial collapse" by mid-year if assessed dues were not paid in full.
U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told the Associated Press that the Trump administration made the payment last week, which goes towards past dues for the U.N.'s regular budget.
Newsweek reached out to the office of the United Nations secretary-general by email and the State Department by submission form for comment. The White House referred all questions to the State Department.
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Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has heavily focused on the nation's financial health since returning to office, moving with cold efficiency to cut spending, especially where he deems to find alleged waste, fraud, and abuse.
This manifested most clearly in the debate around the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), an aid agency that has supported Palestinian refugees since 1949, but one which Trump claimed had "funneled" money to Hamas.
Trump ultimately ordered the U.S. to withdraw from dozens of organizations that he and his administration deemed wasteful for American taxpayers or ideologically driven, many of which were run by the U.N.
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What To Know
In an urgent plea issued earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a letter to member governments, warned that the world body's cash reserves were dwindling and outstanding payments had reached record levels.
While Guterres did not single out any country by name, the U.S. had, at that time, not made payments for over a year: The U.S. owed $2.196 billion to the regular operating budget, including $767 million for this year. The administration also owes $1.8 billion for the separate budget that goes towards the U.N. peacekeeping operations and $528 million for past peacekeeping missions.
After 2025, the U.N. faced a shortfall of around $1.57 billion, largely from outstanding dues.
Trump Convenes Board of Peace
The issue has arisen at the same time that Trump has looked to establish his Board of Peace, which will oversee the development and revitalization of the Gaza Strip, with members comprised of regional partners as well as U.S. allies.
Trump convened the inaugural meeting of the board on Thursday, announcing that nine members have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion towards a Gaza relief budget—in addition to $10 billion from the U.S.—while five countries have agreed to deploy troops to take part in an international stabilization force.
However, around $70 billion is estimated as necessary to rebuild Gaza, according to The Associated Press.
Some critics and leaders have expressed concern that Trump is attempting to build an alternative or rival to the U.N., which he has long criticized.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 2/19/26, 8:34 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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