United Nations, Feb 2 (NationPress) The United States’ delay in paying nearly $4 billion in dues to the UN is pushing the organization towards a financial crisis, yet President Donald Trump asserts he can resolve the issue “very easily”.

In a recent interview with Politico on Sunday (local time), he did not specify plans to release the funds owed, which are critical to the UN's financial health.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned heads of UN missions in a letter that the organization faces “imminent financial collapse”, though he did not directly reference the US's outstanding payments.

According to UN records, Washington owes $2.196 billion for the UN's regular budget and $1.8 billion for its peacekeeping operations.

Excluding the 2026 regular budget requirement of $768 million, which is due by the end of the year, the US's past dues total $1.429 billion.

The US stands as the largest contributor to the UN, making up 22 percent of the regular budget based on a calculation established by the General Assembly, thus its unpaid dues have a significant impact.

Trump, who has previously criticized the UN and withdrawn from various agencies, adopted a more diplomatic stance during the Politico interview, suggesting it could be part of his legacy.

He stated, “When I’m no longer around to settle wars, the UN can. It has tremendous potential. Tremendous”.

Trump also claimed to have ended eight wars singlehandedly and positioned the Board of Peace, which received UN Security Council approval to manage the resolution of the Gaza conflict and its reconstruction, as an alternative to the UN.

He reiterated his belief in the UN's capabilities amidst discussions about the organization potentially relocating from New York.

“The UN is not leaving New York, and it’s not leaving the United States, because the UN has tremendous potential,” he emphasized.

In an effort to cut costs, the UN has begun relocating some functions to less expensive locations abroad and is contemplating additional shifts.

Trump assured Politico that he could ensure countries settle their dues to the UN within moments.

Other major contributors, such as China, which accounts for 18 percent of the budget, are not in arrears for 2025 or previous years, and they too have until the end of the year to address their 2026 payments.

Trump remarked, “If they (UN) came to Trump and told him [about the problem], I’d get everybody to pay up, just like I got NATO to pay up”.

He continued, “All I have to do is call these countries… they would send checks within minutes”, yet he did not clarify how he would handle the US’s own unpaid dues.

Only a few smaller nations, such as Mexico and Venezuela, are currently in arrears, and recovering those funds would not significantly affect the UN's fiscal stability.

Trump's comments regarding NATO refer to the military alliance’s other 30 members agreeing to elevate their defense budgets to 5 percent of their GDP after he pressured them for insufficient contributions to collective security.

(One nation, Spain, has defied Trump and opted not to raise its defense budget to that level.)

In contrast to NATO, where nations can adjust their defense spending to fulfill Trump’s requests, UN contributions are determined by the General Assembly, and Trump cannot unilaterally modify the assessments.

Guterres reiterated in his letter to UN missions, “Either all member states honor their obligations to pay in full and on time -- or member states must fundamentally overhaul our financial rules to prevent an imminent financial collapse”.

If Trump were to advocate for a change in how member contributions are calculated, he would encounter significant challenges in gaining the necessary majority among the 193 members to agree on new regulations and formulas.

The $4 billion question remains: Will Trump fulfill the dues?

A UN official warned that the organization could deplete its funds by July, potentially hindering the high-level General Assembly meeting in September when global leaders gather at the UN’s headquarters in New York.

There is a possibility that its iconic glass-facade headquarters could close, the official noted.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)