United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed regret over the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from several entities linked to the world body, reaffirming that Washington remains bound by its financial obligations under the UN Charter.
In a statement issued on Thursday, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General was disappointed by the White House’s announcement that the United States would pull out of a number of UN-affiliated organizations.
“The Secretary-General regrets the announcement by the White House regarding the United States’ decision to withdraw from a number of United Nations entities,” Dujarric said.
The UN response followed a White House announcement late Wednesday confirming that President Donald Trump had signed a Presidential Memorandum directing US government agencies to withdraw from 66 international organizations. The administration argued that the bodies no longer serve American interests. According to UN officials, at least 31 of the affected organizations are linked to the United Nations system.
Dujarric emphasized that assessed contributions to the UN’s regular and peacekeeping budgets are not optional. “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States,” he said.He added that UN entities would continue implementing their mandates as authorized by member states, regardless of the US decision. “All United Nations entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given by Member States,” the statement noted, stressing that the organization has “a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us.”
Addressing reporters, Dujarric said the UN had not received any formal communication from the US government beyond the information published on the White House website. “We have not received any further official communication beyond what was posted on the White House website yesterday,” he said.
When asked whether the Secretary-General was surprised by the decision, Dujarric responded that Guterres remained resolute rather than shocked. “I think the secretary-general, in terms of what’s going on in the world today, is beyond surprised,” he said, adding that Guterres remains “very clear-eyed” and “very determined.”
The UN spokesperson further stressed that withdrawal announcements do not absolve member states of their treaty obligations.“Member states who signed, who’ve joined this club, have to pay the dues,” Dujarric said. “The Charter is not à la carte. We’re not going to renegotiate the Charter.”
The decision marks the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to scale back US engagement with multilateral institutions, raising concerns among UN officials about the long-term implications for global cooperation and international governance.