United Nations Budget Slashed By $285 Million

On Thursday, the United Nations voted 128-9 to condemn the Trump administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On Sunday, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations released a statement announcing a budget cut of $285 million for fiscal year 2018-2019:

Today, the United Nations agreed on a budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Among a host of other successes, the United States negotiated a reduction of over $285 million off the 2016-2017 final budget. In addition to these significant cost savings, we reduced the UN’s bloated management and support functions, bolstered support for key U.S. priorities throughout the world, and instilled more discipline and accountability throughout the UN system.

The statement included a quote from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley:

“The inefficiency and overspending of the United Nations are well known. We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked. This historic reduction in spending – in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN – is a big step in the right direction. While we are pleased with the results of this year’s budget negotiations, you can be sure we’ll continue to look at ways to increase the UN’s efficiency while protecting our interests,” said Ambassador Haley.

The United States is the largest contributor the the U.N., providing approximately 22% of the body’s operating budget “under a formula tied to economic size and other measurements established under an article of the United Nations Charter,” reports The New York Times. The U.S. was responsible for $1.2 billion of the 2016-2017 operating budget.

The day before the U.N. vote on Jerusalem, President Trump slammed countries that “take our money and then vote against us,” saying:

For all these nations that take our money and then vote against us at the Security Council, or they vote against us potentially at the assembly, they take hundreds of millions of dollars and billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us, we’ll save a lot. We don’t care. But this isn’t like it used to be where they could vote against you and then you pay them hundreds of millions of dollars and nobody knows what they’re doing.

Haley quoted the president in a tweet that same day:

This isn’t the first U.N. budget cut under the Trump presidency. In June, the organization agreed on a $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget, shedding $600 million and saving the United States 7.5%.