The DEFUND Act: Trump’s Move to Cut U.S. Ties with the United Nations

In a dramatic escalation of his administration’s “America First” foreign policy, President Donald Trump is backing legislation that seeks to sever the United States’ financial and political ties with the United Nations. The Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle (DEFUND) Act, introduced by Senator Mike Lee, aims to withdraw the U.S. from the UN system entirely, repealing key legislation that has governed America’s involvement in the global body since 1945.

The DEFUND Act proposes a full repeal of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 and the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act, which established the UN’s sovereign district in New York. Additionally, it would terminate all U.S. contributions to the UN, both voluntary and assessed, and prohibit American participation in UN peacekeeping missions. The bill also seeks to strip diplomatic immunity from UN personnel operating in the United States and impose stringent conditions on any future administration’s attempts to rejoin the organization.

Perhaps most controversially, the DEFUND Act mandates the withdrawal of the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move that echoes President Trump’s first term, when he temporarily suspended WHO funding over allegations that the agency had mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic and acted as “China’s puppet.”

The bill’s sponsors argue that the United Nations has become a “bloated, bureaucratic, and corrupt entity” that actively undermines American interests. In the bill’s official summary, Senator Lee’s office accuses the UN of harboring terrorists through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), funding coercive abortions via the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and allowing anti-Israel bias in the General Assembly and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

However, critics warn that the DEFUND Act could have severe geopolitical consequences, diminishing the U.S.’s influence in global affairs while ceding leadership roles to adversarial powers such as China and Russia.

A Legacy of Cutting Foreign Aid and UN Engagement

The DEFUND Act is the latest in a series of aggressive moves by the Trump administration to curtail U.S. foreign aid and participation in international institutions. Hours after his second inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14169, titled “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid.” The order froze all U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days while a government-wide review assessed whether such aid aligns with America’s national interests.

The suspension covered virtually all non-military aid, with exceptions only for emergency food assistance and military support to Israel and Egypt. Even after clarifications were issued, the freeze left global health initiatives, refugee programs, and development projects in limbo.

Impact on Global Health and Humanitarian Assistance

One of the most significant casualties of Trump’s foreign aid suspension has been global health programs. The immediate effects have been felt across Africa and Southeast Asia, where U.S. funding supports HIV/AIDS treatment, tuberculosis eradication, and vaccine distribution. For instance, in Kenya, HIV-positive orphans in Nairobi’s Nyumbani Children’s Home face uncertainty over access to life-saving antiretroviral drugs, which were previously provided through American assistance.

In Thailand, refugee camps along the Myanmar border that relied on U.S. support for medical supplies and oxygen tanks have been forced to shut down their clinics. Similar disruptions have been reported in Latin America, where U.S.-backed programs combat malnutrition and maternal mortality.

Dismantling USAID and the Shift Toward Bilateral DealsIn tandem with defunding the UN, the Trump administration has also begun the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The agency, which once employed over 10,000 staff dedicated to global humanitarian projects, has been reduced to less than 300 personnel following mass layoffs. The Trump administration contends that USAID is an inefficient bureaucracy that funds programs unaligned with U.S. strategic goals.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has taken over USAID’s headquarters, with orders to redirect U.S. aid through bilateral agreements instead of multilateral institutions. This shift reflects the administration’s broader vision: cutting global obligations and emphasizing direct, transactional foreign relations.

Potential Consequences of DEFUND

The DEFUND Act and Trump’s broader push to sever ties with the UN and cut foreign aid have sparked widespread alarm among U.S. allies, humanitarian organizations, and foreign policy experts.

China and Russia’s Rising Influence: Analysts warn that pulling out of the UN would allow China and Russia to expand their influence over global policy-making, particularly in regions where U.S. leadership has traditionally been strong, such as Africa and Latin America. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has already filled some gaps left by previous American aid cuts.

Legal and Diplomatic Fallout: Some U.S. lawmakers, including moderate Republicans, have raised concerns that DEFUND could violate existing international treaties and damage U.S. diplomatic standing. Additionally, legal experts point out that the repeal of the UN Headquarters Agreement could create a logistical nightmare, raising questions about the diplomatic status of the UN’s presence in New York.

Economic and Security Risks: While DEFUND supporters argue that cutting UN contributions will save billions of dollars, critics counter that the loss of influence could cost the U.S. far more in economic and security terms. The UN has long served as a tool for American diplomacy, enabling conflict resolution, sanctions enforcement, and global intelligence-sharing.

America’s Role in a Changing WorldAs the DEFUND Act advances through Congress, the world watches closely. President Trump’s second term has marked an aggressive shift toward nationalist policies that prioritize American sovereignty over global cooperation. If passed, the DEFUND Act would be one of the most radical reversals of U.S. foreign policy in history, severing ties with the United Nations and cementing the Trump administration’s legacy of redefining America’s role in the international order.

For now, the fate of the DEFUND Act, and America’s participation in global governance hangs in the balance.

 

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