The United Nations is awaiting the payment of overdue American contributions amounting to nearly 4 billion dollars.
The UN announced it is waiting to determine how much the Trump administration intends to pay from the total dues owed by the United States to the international body, which stands at about 4 billion dollars, and the timeline for the arrival of these funds.
Last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the organization is facing an “imminent financial collapse” unless its financial rules are reformed or all 193 member states commit to paying their contributions, which was a clear message directed at the United States.
According to a UN official, the United States owes 2.196 billion dollars for the regular operational budget of the organization, including 767 million dollars for the current year. Additionally, Washington owes 1.8 billion dollars for a separate budget allocated to extensive international peacekeeping operations, a figure that is expected to rise.
The U.S. mission to the UN confirmed that American Ambassador Mike Mulvaney stated that the Trump administration plans to make a “significant first payment” of the overdue amounts within weeks, with the final amount to be determined later.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Monday that Guterres has been in contact with Mulvaney “for quite some time,” and that the UN’s budget officer is in touch with U.S. officials. Dujarric added, “We are waiting to see exactly when the amounts will be paid and in what value.”
Guterres mentioned in a letter to member states last week that the cash flow for the operational budget could run out by July, which could significantly affect operations.
Previously, President Donald Trump stated that the United Nations has not utilized its full potential. His administration did not pay any amounts to the organization during 2025 and withdrew from affiliated organizations such as the World Health Organization and UNESCO, halting funding for dozens of other organizations.
UN officials reported that 95% of the dues owed for the regular budget are debts of the United States. Venezuela ranks second among countries failing to pay compulsory fees, owing 38 million dollars.
It is worth noting that Venezuela, whose economy was struggling even before the U.S. military raid in January that ousted then-president Nicolás Maduro, lost its voting rights in the General Assembly due to failing to meet payment obligations for two years.
As of February 8, only around 60 countries had committed to paying their annual dues on time.
