UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations said Monday it is waiting to learn how much of the nearly $4 billion the Trump administration intends to owe the United States to the world body and when the money will arrive.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last week that the world body faces “imminent financial collapse” unless its financial rules are overhauled or all 193 member states pay their dues, a message clearly aimed at the United States.
A U.N. official said the United States owes the U.N. regular operating budget $2.196 billion, including $767 million this year. The United States also owes a separate budget of $1.8 billion to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and this amount will increase.
The U.S. Mission to the United Nations confirmed that U.S. Ambassador Mike Walz said the Trump administration plans to make a down payment on the large amount owed within weeks, with the final amount still to be determined. His comments were first reported by Reuters.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday that Guterres has been in contact with Walz for “a considerable period of time” and that the U.N. comptroller has also been in touch with U.S. officials.
“We are waiting for the exact time and amount of payment,” Dujarric said.
Guterres said in a letter to all member states last week that the UN’s regular operating budget could run out of cash in July, which could severely impact its operations.
President Donald Trump says the United Nations has not yet reached its potential. His government paid nothing to the United Nations in 2025 and withdrew from U.N. organizations including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, while withdrawing funding from dozens of others.
United Nations officials say that 95% of arrears to the United Nations regular budget come from the United States.
Venezuela is the second country not to pay its mandatory regular dues and has a debt of $38 million, U.N. officials said. The South American country, whose economy had been struggling before a U.S. military strike in January ousted then-President Nicolas Maduro, lost its vote in the U.N. General Assembly after two years of arrears.
Nearly 60 countries paid their annual fees before the February 8 due date.