The United States has indicated that it might not pay a large portion of its payments to the United Nations in 2026 unless significant changes and reforms occur at the U.N. Although the United States recognizes large cuts to U.N. administrative budgets, including a 15% cut to the administrative budget and the elimination of approximately 3,000 jobs by 2025, more changes are needed.

The U.S. demands eliminating education support for staff dependents, making major changes to U.N. pension plans, cutting senior professional staff in future budgets, and increasing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in translation and interpretation services in order to reduce travel costs.

The U.S. has also stated it will prohibit UN staff members from traveling in business class on internationally scheduled flights. The U.S. is also asking UN Secretary-General António Guterres to not accept any single donor trust funds in his office. Reports that are going around show that the U.S. is particularly concerned about a development fund backed by China that is providing project funding to African nations.

The U.S. has also stated that any future funding for U.N. peacekeeping operations will depend on the U.N. cutting missions that have been considered ineffective for at least 10 years. This is a clear attempt to exert increasing pressure on the United Nations from the United States.