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Trump says US will give UN money to make it stronger, more viable

AL-Monitor
Feb 19, 2026
U.S President Donald Trump talks with world leaders participating in the inaugural Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
U.S President Donald Trump talks with world leaders participating in the inaugural Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque — Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The United States will give the United Nations money to strengthen it and help make it viable, President Donald Trump told the opening meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday.

The U.S. is the biggest contributor to the U.N. budget, but under the Trump administration it has refused to make mandatory payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets, and slashed voluntary funding to U.N. agencies with their own budgets.

"We're going to strengthen up the United Nations. We're going to make sure its facilities are good. They need help ...we're going to help them money-wise, and we're going to make sure the United Nations is viable," said Trump.

"I think the United Nations has great potential, really great potential. It has not lived up to (that) potential."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Philippa Fletcher)