US Support for the UN : Shared by Kul Gautam

Good to know that even as the current US government is hostile to the UN, most people in the US appreciate its value and support its activities. 

Kul

Trump’s Assault Upon the United Nations Is at Odds with U.S. Public Opinion By Lawrence Wittner – CounterPunch Click here for the article.

Summary

Donald Trump’s nationalist “America First” agenda has driven repeated efforts to dismantle and defund United Nations institutions.

During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from major UN bodies and cut funding to agencies like UNRWA and the UN Population Fund. Many of these decisions were reversed under President Biden, but with Trump’s return to office in 2025, the attacks have resumed. Recent steps include renewed withdrawals, sanctions, blocking ceasefire resolutions at the Security Council, and pulling back over $1 billion in allocated funding—moves that threaten critical programs such as UNICEF, UNDP, and UN Peacekeeping.

Despite Trump’s hostility, polling shows strong U.S. public support for the UN. Surveys in 2025 found large majorities of Americans—across political lines—believe the U.S. benefits from UN membership and want continued or increased cooperation with its agencies. This disconnect underscores how Trump’s actions appeal to his base but run counter to broader public opinion favoring global cooperation.

Quotes

“Our tax dollars should not be complicit in propping up entities that are counter to American interests.” – Elise Stefanik, U.S. Ambassador to the UN nominee

“The U.S. should seriously examine if further contributions and, indeed, participation in the UN is even beneficial to the American people.” – Senator Jim Risch

“In July 2025, rescissions legislation… pulled back some $1 billion in funding… This action will have devastating effects on a broad variety of UN programs.”

“A Pew Research Center poll in late March 2025 found that 63 percent of U.S. respondents said that their country benefited from UN membership… 57 percent had a favorable view of the United Nations.”

“Even when it came to the International Criminal Court… 62 percent of Americans surveyed expressed their approval of the organization.”