US To Pay USD 850 Million to UN, Still Owes Nearly USD 5 Billion

The US government has notified Congress of plans to pay USD 850 million toward its outstanding United Nations dues, marking the largest payment by the Trump administration to the world body since it began demanding sweeping reforms in exchange for continued financial support.

The State Department plans to transfer USD 725 million toward the UN regular budget and another USD 125 million for UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to notifications sent to lawmakers this month and obtained by The Associated Press.

The planned payment would reduce only a portion of the US backlog. According to the United Nations, Washington is behind on about USD 5 billion in membership related dues, including more than USD 2 billion owed toward the regular budget and around USD 3 billion for peacekeeping operations.

The announcement comes after the Trump administration made a USD 160 million payment in February, following a warning from UN Secretary General António Guterres that the organisation faced an “imminent financial collapse” unless member states paid their dues or its financial system was overhauled.

President Donald Trump and his administration have spent the past 18 months pushing for major changes at the UN, including reductions in spending and staffing. The administration has also criticised what it considers ideological positions within the organisation.

The US did not make payments to the UN in 2025 and has withdrawn from several UN bodies, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, while reducing voluntary funding for numerous international programmes.

The proposed payment has also faced criticism from some Republicans in Congress. A GOP congressional aide said the notifications did not go far enough in addressing administration concerns over UN staffing, spending and what Republicans describe as ideological policies.

The aide also questioned whether the plans sufficiently addressed the withholding of US assistance to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, according to AP.