Fox News – The Trump administration is reportedly preparing executive orders that would decrease the role of the U.S. in the United Nations as well as other international organizations.
The New York Times reported Wednesday the first order, dubbed “Auditing and Reducing U.S. Funding of International Organization,” would cut funding for any U.N. agency or other international group that meets any specific criteria.
The Times reported that the criteria include any organizations that give full membership to the Palestinian Authority or any related groups, programs that fund abortions and any program that goes around Iran or North Korea sanctions. The order would also halt funding for any group that is connected to state sponsored terrorism or has links to human rights violations.
Additionally, the order would reportedly establish a committee to see where the funding cuts could made – specifically zeroing in on the peacekeeping groups, the International Criminal Court, aid provided to countries that oppose U.N. policies and the U.N. Population Fund.
The order hopes to decrease U.S. funding in organizations by at least 40 percent, The Times reported.
“The United Nations (U.N.) has proven to be an ineffective and wasteful bureaucracy. The U.S. bankrolls nearly 22 percent of the U.N.’s annual budget,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-AL, told Fox Business on Wednesday. Rogers put together a bill earlier this month that would end the U.S. membership with the U.N. altogether.
“Our nation is $20 trillion dollars in debt and we keep spending money that we can’t even pay for. Most of the programs are borrowing money for the end of the year,” Rep. Walter Jones, R-NC, told Fox Business. “I feel very strongly that if you have something like the United Nations with 22% of the budget coming from America then our country has to start thinking about the best interests of our own country.”
A U.N. budget report recently revealed that the U.S. contributed more than $610 million to the U.N. for 2017, more than any of the 193 contributing countries. The second highest contribution belongs to Japan, which contributed $268 million.
The second order the Trump administration reportedly will enact is called the “Moratorium of New Multilateral Treaties,” which would call for a review of all treaties the U.S. is involved in and which one Washington should leave. The Paris climate pact would be on that list, The Times reported.
Image Source: Chicago Tribune
