The United States has paid approximately $160 million towards the nearly $4 billion it owes in unpaid dues to the United Nations, the world body said on Thursday, even as Washington’s broader relationship with the organization remains strained.
According to a United Nations spokesperson, the payment was made last week and allocated to the UN’s regular operating budget. The United States still owes more than $2.1 billion to that budget, including amounts due for the current year, and roughly $1.8 billion for UN peacekeeping operations, the UN said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the organisation could face a financial collapse as early as July 2026 unless member states meet their financial obligations, with the unpaid US dues constituting about 95 % of the arrears to the regular budget.
The disclosure of the partial payment came as US President Donald Trump hosted the first meeting of his newly launched Board of Peace initiative in Washington. Trump pledged closer cooperation with the UN and said Washington would work “very closely” with the organisation, although he did not specify a timeline for further payments.
The Trump administration has previously criticised the United Nations as ineffective and has cut funding to several UN agencies, while withdrawing from others, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO.
About 55 countries have already paid their 2026 dues in full by the deadline, UN officials said, but the continued shortfall poses risks to the UN’s ability to fulfil programmes and global operations.