US pays $160M toward $4B UN debt as Trump launches ‘Board of Peace’
The United States has paid about $160 million toward more than $4 billion it owes the United Nations, officials said, as President Donald Trump convened the first meeting of his new “Board of Peace” initiative.
A spokesperson for the United Nations confirmed the payment was received last week as a partial settlement of Washington’s outstanding contributions to the UN’s regular budget, News.az reports, citing Reuters.
The move comes amid continued tensions between the Trump administration and the global body, even as the president said the U.S. would help ensure the UN remains financially viable.
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According to UN officials, the United States, the organization’s largest financial contributor, still owes billions:
• $2.19 billion to the UN regular budget
• $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions
• $43.6 million for UN tribunals
Together, the unpaid amount exceeds $4 billion, with the U.S. accounting for more than 95% of the total arrears owed by member states to the regular budget.
Under Trump, Washington has withheld mandatory payments to both the regular and peacekeeping budgets and sharply reduced voluntary funding to several UN agencies. The administration has also withdrawn from dozens of UN bodies.
The partial payment coincided with the inaugural meeting of Trump’s “Board of Peace,” an initiative he has promoted as part of efforts to address global conflicts.
“We’re going to help them money-wise, and we’re going to make sure the United Nations is viable,” Trump said at the meeting, while also arguing the organization has not lived up to its potential.
However, many countries, including key U.S. allies and major Global South powers, have been reluctant to join the initiative. Some experts warn the board could undermine the UN’s role in international conflict resolution.
The body was initially proposed as part of Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza and was later recognized by the UN Security Council through 2027 with a limited mandate focused on Gaza’s temporary governance.
Trump has since suggested the board could expand its scope to address broader global conflicts.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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