This is how Trump could spark 'the breakdown of the international humanitarian system as we know it'


Ahead of the White House's scheduled release of its 2018 budget proposal Thursday, people familiar with the discussions tell Foreign Policy that State Department staffers have been instructed to cut 50 percent or more of U.S. funding to United Nations programs. The proposal would affect peacekeeping efforts across the world, including in Syria and Yemen, as well as campaigns that provide vaccines to children, fight famine, and monitor nuclear weapons programs.
The United States, for example, contributed $1.5 billion to the United Nations' refugee agency's $4 billion budget last year. Trump's proposal would "leave a gaping hole that other big donors would struggle to fill," said U.N. expert Richard Gowan. "Multiply that across other humanitarian agencies, like the World Food Program, and you are basically talking about the breakdown of the international humanitarian system as we know it."
In December, Trump complained on Twitter that "the United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk, and have a good time. So sad!" He added: "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The United States is the biggest contributor to the U.N.'s budget, funding 22 percent of the organization's costs, with Japan the next biggest contributor at 9.7 percent. Read more about what specific programs could be hit at Foreign Policy.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
At home with the Clooneys: is arguing with your partner healthy?
The actor and his wife claim to have never argued during their 10-year marriage
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK
-
Quiz of The Week: 19 - 25 April
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why was Pope Francis controversial in Argentina?
Podcast Plus, could marriage increase your risk of dementia? And what is the true cost of that viral pistachio chocolate?
By The Week UK
-
A dozen states sue Trump to halt tariffs
Speed Read The states sued in the US Court of International Trade, seeking to stop tariffs they say will damage their economies
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump blames Zelenskyy for peace deal setbacks
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the US proposal, which includes Russia's takeover of Crimea
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump stands by Hegseth amid ouster reports
Speed Read The president dismissed reports that he was on the verge of firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over a second national security breach
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US