US plans $725 million payment towards its large UN debt – Reuters
The Trump administration has begun the process of transferring $725 million to the United Nations, according to an August 4 State Department notification to Congress seen by Reuters. Aid experts called the move a welcome step toward paying billions of dollars in dues owed by Washington.
The payment is expected before President Donald Trump’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York next month. Washington did not immediately explain the payment.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned this year that the organization faced “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions and has imposed major budget cuts.
The $725 million is less than 20% of the more than $4 billion the U.N. said the U.S. owed in May. Washington disputes that figure and says it has made some payments. Former U.N. official Eugene Chen said the transfer could help cover salaries for a time, while warning that further payments would be needed to avoid losing U.S. voting rights in January.
Under Article 19 of the U.N. Charter, countries can lose General Assembly voting rights after more than two years of unpaid dues, though grace periods are possible. U.N. finance expert Ronny Patz said a major payment could help the organization avoid immediate spending cuts.
The U.S. is the U.N.’s largest contributor but has refused mandatory payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets under Trump while cutting voluntary funding to U.N. agencies. Washington has also withdrawn from dozens of international organizations.
The U.N. expected to collect about 90% of this year’s dues. As of August 18, 129 of 193 members had paid in full. China was not among them.
The U.S. said its $725 million obligation is for the regular budget. The U.N. said the $4 billion owed included $2.04 billion for the regular budget, $2.2 billion for peacekeeping and $44 million for tribunals. Washington also has withheld about $153.4 million in “policy-based withholdings,” including $10.6 million for the Human Rights Council and funds for the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency.
The U.N. is undergoing its “UN80” reform and cost-cutting effort. It has cut its 2026 budget by 9.2% and moved more than 2,000 jobs from expensive cities including Geneva and New York to lower-cost hubs.
