US President Donald Trump has ordered the multinational organization to end the US engagement with several United Nations (UN) agencies, including the Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while launching a comprehensive evaluation of US financial aid. The White House extended a stop for Funding for Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA) and ordered a review of United Nations Cultural Agency UNESCO.
According to the White House Employees Secretary Will Sharf, these works were taken in response to the alleged “anti -US bias” within these United Nations agencies. “More generally, the Executive Order says in the light of wild inequalities and funding between various countries to review American participation and funding in the United Nations,” said Sharaf.
The United States is one of the 47 members selected for three years of terms in the United Nations Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly. It was ready to end its current word on 31 December, maintaining the position of the observer currently. The directions issued by the Trump administration appeared to end all American engagement in the activities of the council, including both country-specific human rights assessments and investigation into violation of special rights.
Trump called the United Nations ‘to get his work together’
Criticizing the United Nations, US President Trump said on Tuesday (local time) that the agency was “not running well,” although it has capacity.
“This is very likely and we will continue to go with it based on capacity, but they got their work together. It is not running well, to be honest, and they are not working,” Trump told reporters that they stopped the engagement with UNHRC and withdrew from UNRWA’s primary membership.
He said, “There are many of these conflicts on which we are working, or at least we should help in settling them. We never help. It should be the primary objective of the United Nations.”
United Nations pushed back
Washington is the largest contributor of the United Nations – followed by 22 percent of the China -Core UN budget and 27 percent of the peace budget.
Pushing back against Trump’s remarks, United Nations spokesman Stephene Dusarric said the agency’s general secretary Antonio Gutres has “tireless to implement several reforms … to increase efficiency and innovation.”
“American support for the United Nations has saved countless life and advanced global security. General Secretary is ready to continue his productive relations with President Trump and the US government to strengthen that relationship in today’s turbulent world . “
The 15-Member of UN Security Council, of which the US is one of the five permanent members, is accused of maintaining international peace and security. The United Nations has said that currently the US has a total of $ 2.8 billion, of which $ 1.5 billion is for a regular budget. These payments are not voluntary.
Trump said that he did not want to take money from the 193-member world body, although he complained that Washington had to pay an odd amount.
Israel vs Unrwa
The move coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, who has long criticized for UNRWA, accusing anti -Israeli anti -Israeli and its employees of being involved in terrorist activities against Israel. . “
An Israeli ban came into force on 30 January that prevents UNRWA from working on its territory or communicating with Israeli officials. UNRWA has said that the operations and West Bank will also be damaged in Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philip Lazarini said last week that the agency has aimed to “fierce disintegration campaign” to “portray the agency as a terrorist organization”.
America was the largest donor of UNRWA – providing $ 300 million – $ 400 million in a year – but former President Joe Biden stopped funding in January 2024, when Israeli on October 7, 2023 deadly a dozen UNRWA staff on 7 October 2023 Accused of participating, attacked Hamas Hamas, an attack by Palestine militants. This led to the war in Gaza.
The US Congress then formally suspended the contribution to UNRWA by at least March 2025. UNRWA provides millions of Palestinians in Gaza and assistance, health and education services to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
The United Nations has said that nine UNRWA employees may join, attacked and fired on 7 October 2023. A Hamas Commander in Lebanon – killed by Israel in September – also got an UNRWA job. The United Nations has vowed to investigate all the allegations made and repeatedly asked Israel to evidence, which says it has not been provided.