Trump administration begins transfer of $725m to UN, amid billions owed

The Trump administration has begun the process of transferring $725 million to the United Nations, according to a congressional notification obtained by Reuters. This move comes as the UN faces "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid contributions from member states, as declared by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The money is set to be transferred before an expected speech by Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York City next month.

Guterres has highlighted the UN's financial crisis, which is attributed to unpaid dues from member states. Although the UN has requested cuts totaling over $4 billion from the United States, Washington claims the figure is lower and that it has made some payments. A former UN official, Eugene Chen, stated that the transfer would help maintain UN salaries for a while but may not cover them entirely.

If the US fails to make further payments, it could lose its voting rights in the General Assembly as per Article 19 of the UN Charter.

Former UN official Ronny Patz believes that a significant transfer could avert immediate spending cuts, as the UN still operates on zero reserves but may manage to pay salaries and keep the doors open through the year. The US is the largest contributor to the UN budget, but the Trump administration has refused to make mandatory payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets and has cut voluntary funding for other functions. Washington also withdrew from numerous UN and other international agencies.