UN Braces for Funding Cuts under Trump’s Presidency

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20, United Nations agencies are expressing concerns over possible reductions in US funding, which could impact a wide range of global programs.

Suwerri Moon, Director of the Swiss Center for Global Health, voiced her concern regarding a potential US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). She emphasized that such a move would be damaging to the organization’s operations.

Trump is also expected to cut funding to other UN bodies, including the UN Women (UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Richard Gowan, spokesperson for the International Crisis Group, noted that Trump might quickly abandon UN agreements and mechanisms, adding that the European Union has already made it clear that it lacks the financial resources to compensate for any potential shortfalls.

The US has been one of the largest contributors to the UN, contributing over a third of the organization’s total budget in 2022.

In 2020, Trump announced his intention to sever ties with the WHO, citing dissatisfaction with the organization's leadership and its failure to implement reforms he had called for.