Here are the estimated potential savings based on recent US contribution data, as specific, finalized 2026 budget figures for "defunding" are not yet enacted.
Based on recent funding levels, the United States could potentially save several billion dollars annually by defunding the United Nations and related international organizations.
Total Annual Contributions: The U.S. government typically provides over $10 billion to $15 billion annually to the United Nations, its specialized agencies, peacekeeping operations, and related international organizations.
Specific
Program Savings:
Peacekeeping: The
U.S. is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping, paying roughly 25-28% of
the budget, which often amounts to over $1.5 billion annually.
Assessed
Contributions: Total assessed contributions to the UN regular budget and
peacekeeping are generally in the range of $2 billion to $3 billion.
Voluntary Contributions: Beyond mandatory dues, the U.S. provides significant voluntary funding to agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF, totaling billions more.
Context
for 2026: While specific 2026 legislation is not finalized, proposals to
cut or eliminate funding for international organizations have frequently
targeted these amounts.
Total
Potential Savings: If the U.S. were to completely cease funding to all
UN-affiliated organizations, the savings would likely exceed $10 billion
per year [1, 4].
Based on early 2026 reports, the United States is implementing deep, multi-billion dollar cuts to funding for the United Nations and other international organizations as part of a "humanitarian reset" and a broader "America First" policy.
Projected
Savings and Budget Cuts for 2026
Humanitarian
Aid Savings: The Trump administration announced a $2
billion pledge for UN humanitarian aid for 2026, which is a massive
reduction from the $10 billion to $18 billion typically contributed annually in
previous years. This suggests a direct reduction in humanitarian expenditure of
approximately $8 billion to $16 billion compared to previous peak
funding levels.
Total
Foreign Aid Cuts: The proposed FY2026 budget included a $30.1 billion
reduction (-49%) in funding for the State Department and international
affairs programs compared to the FY2025 enacted level.
Specific UN Cuts: The US signaled it would stop contributing to the UN regular budget (saving over $800 million in assessed dues) and zero out contributions to UN peacekeeping, which typically costs over $1 billion.
Withdrawals: The administration announced it is withdrawing from 66 international organizations (31 UN entities and 35 non-UN organizations).
Key
Context for 2026
Efficiency
Savings: The administration stated that by moving to a new, consolidated
funding model (rather than, for example, hundreds of smaller, overlapping
grants), it expects to save U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.9 billion in
efficiency gains alone.
"America
First Opportunity Fund": While slashing standard UN funding, the
administration is shifting funds to a new "$2.9 billion “America First
Opportunity Fund” for targeted, bilateral, or preferred multilateral
initiatives.
UN Reaction: In response to the funding withdrawal and reduced dues, the UN approved a 2026 budget that is $270 million to $577 million lower than in 2025, which involves cutting roughly 19% of its staff.
In summary, the United States is slashing its international contributions, with the total reduction in foreign aid and UN funding likely exceeding $20-30 billion compared to previous years' spending trajectories.
The potential savings in US dollars from defunding the UN and other international organizations in 2026 is difficult to state precisely, as the exact amount depends on final congressional appropriations, but the administration's budget proposals aimed for substantial cuts, with potential savings of over $30 billion in total foreign aid spending compared to previous levels.
Key
Insights
The U.S. total contribution to the UN system was approximately $13.0 billion in 2023 (the latest full year data available for all contributions), comprising both assessed and voluntary funding. Assessed contributions in that period were around $3.2 billion, with the rest being voluntary.
The Trump administration's FY 2026 budget proposal for the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) bill aimed to slash overall foreign assistance to unprecedented levels, cutting over $30 billion from foreign aid compared to prior years.
Specific
proposals for FY 2026 included zeroing out funding for the UN regular
budget, the UN Development Program, UN Women, and UNICEF within the
Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) account, a cut of
over 83% for that specific account (from $1.54 billion to $264
million).
The U.S. also negotiated a total reduction of $570 million in member state assessments to the UN regular budget for 2026, of which the U.S. share (around 22%) amounts to approximately $125 million in direct savings to the U.S. taxpayer.
The administration introduced a new model for some humanitarian aid with a $2 billion anchor commitment for 2026 that is expected to save nearly $1.9 billion compared to older grant models due to enhanced efficiency, though this is part of an overall decrease from the roughly $8-$10 billion typically provided annually for global humanitarian efforts.
Ultimately, the exact total amount "saved" by completely "defunding" the UN and other international organizations would involve the cessation of all U.S. assessed and voluntary payments, which amounted to over $13 billion in 2023, with further potential reductions from other foreign aid streams. However, current legislative negotiations indicate a more complex scenario involving specific cuts and restructured funding, rather than a total cessation of all funds.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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