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Throughout the year, the Better World Campaign and the United Nations Association of the U.S.A. refresh our resources on America’s essential relationship with the United Nations — because the only thing more powerful than a nation fully engaged on the global stage is a public fully informed.

Get to know the UN in these pages or discover the latest insights on our blog.

The Value of Engagement

More than 80 years ago, in the aftermath of the most devastating war in human history, the U.S. helped launch one of the most ambitious diplomatic projects ever attempted: the United Nations.

Through the UN, countries that had once faced each other on the battlefield came together to resolve disputes peacefully, prevent wars and cooperate on challenges no nation could tackle alone — from maintaining peace and security to promoting human rights and coordinating action on global economic and humanitarian issues.

Although the world has changed dramatically since 1945, the founding principles of the UN have not.

Today, the organization remains one of the most important tools the United States has for advancing its national interests — protecting American security, supporting economic growth and promoting the health and well-being of people at home and abroad.

HOW THE UN DELIVERS FOR AMERICA

Our engagement with the UN makes a better world — and a better America. That’s why polling by Pew Research finds that a majority of Americans from across the political spectrum view the organization favorably.

Here are a few direct benefits.

  • Peacekeeping

    In fragile regions around the world, UN missions help stabilize conflict zones, protect civilians, support democratic elections and assist countries rebuilding after war. The results are clear: peacekeeping reduces civilian deaths, helps prevent conflicts from spreading and lowers the risk of relapse into violence.

    It’s also a smart investment for the United States. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, UN peacekeeping costs American taxpayers roughly one-eighth as much as deploying a comparable U.S. force. And with a permanent seat on the Security Council, the United States helps shape every mandate — ensuring missions advance U.S. interests without putting American boots on the ground.

  • Humanitarian Assistance

    The UN functions as the world’s first responder in humanitarian crises. Every year, UN agencies deliver lifesaving assistance to tens of millions of people affected by war, political instability and natural disasters.

    Through organizations such as UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the UN Refugee Agency and the UN Population Fund, the UN system provides food, clean water, vaccines, shelter, education and maternal health services to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. When disasters strike or conflicts erupt, these agencies are often the first to arrive and the last to leave — helping stabilize communities before crises spiral into wider regional instability.

  • Economic Prosperity

    The UN helps keep the global economy running smoothly. Specialized agencies like the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization and the International Telecommunication Union set the technical standards that make modern life possible — from aviation safety rules to maritime shipping regulations and global telecommunications networks. These frameworks allow airplanes to move safely across borders, ships to carry goods across oceans and digital communications to function seamlessly across continents.

    Without them, the global economy — and the ability of American businesses to compete within it — would grind to a halt.

  • Drugs and Crime Prevention

    Beyond these functions, the UN also plays a critical role in countering transnational threats that directly affect Americans. Through bodies like the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, countries coordinate efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks, combat organized crime, tackle corruption and dismantle human trafficking operations — threats that do not respect borders but have real consequences for U.S. communities.

    At the same time, UN Security Council sanctions regimes target terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, restricting their financing, travel and access to weapons. These tools extend the reach of U.S. counterterrorism efforts, helping to isolate and degrade threats before they reach American shores.

  • Global Health

    For decades, the UN has been on the frontlines of global health. With a presence in more than 190 countries, agencies like UNICEF, the UN Population Fund and the World Health Organization (WHO) reach billions of people each year — delivering vaccines to nearly half the world’s children, supporting maternal health services for millions of women and coordinating responses to outbreaks from COVID-19 to Ebola.

    In partnership with dozens of U.S. research centers, federal agencies, hundreds of NGOs and a nationwide network of advocates, the UN delivers lifesaving care worldwide while powering disease surveillance systems that stop threats before they reach American shores. This work stabilizes fragile regions, strengthens health systems and directly advances U.S. security and economic interests.

  • Human Rights

    The protection of human rights has been core to the UN since its inception and was enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) more than 75 years ago. Now the world’s most translated document, the UDHR – an initiative led by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt – articulates civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights to which all humans are entitled.

    While not legally binding, the UDHR is built on America’s founding documents and has been a guiding light for global constitutions.

The U.S.-UN Relationship

As the host of UN Headquarters, the organization’s largest financial contributor and a permanent member of the Security Council, the United States has long exercised unparalleled influence within the UN system. American leadership has helped shape the organization’s priorities and ensure that its actions reflect core democratic values. In turn, the U.S. has relied on the UN to help build a more stable, prosperous and peaceful world.

Since 2025, however, the U.S.-UN partnership has faced significant strain.

The Administration has withdrawn from several major UN bodies, including the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO. In 2025, the United States also moved to cancel roughly $2 billion in assessed and voluntary funding for the UN system — contributing to an unprecedented budget crisis and prompting warnings from the Secretary-General that the organization faces severe financial challenges.

Meanwhile, the Administration has continued to rely on the UN to advance key policy objectives — from supporting stability efforts in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo to backing humanitarian operations in some of the world’s most fragile regions. The United States also pledged $2 billion to support humanitarian assistance in 17 priority countries and endorsed the Secretary-General’s UN80 reform initiative.

President Trump acknowledged the importance of the institution, declaring before the UN General Assembly in September 2025 that “our country is behind the United Nations 100 percent.”

Congress reinforced that commitment earlier this year when lawmakers passed — and the President signed — FY 2026 appropriations legislation providing robust funding for U.S. assessed contributions to the UN regular budget, its specialized agencies and peacekeeping operations.

Looking ahead, sustained American engagement will continue to be essential.

Mike Waltz

America's Presence at the UN

The U.S. is represented at the UN by its ambassador, Mike Waltz. The U.S. Mission to the UN — known as USUN — leads U.S. engagement at the organization to advance American priorities across issues like security, development and human rights.

Created by Congress in 1947, USUN operates as the State Department’s UN hub. Based in New York, it has about 150 staff working across political, economic, legal and military issues.

Ambassador Waltz was sworn in on September 20, 2025. A retired Army colonel and Green Beret, he previously served as National Security Advisor, a member of Congress, and in senior roles at the Pentagon and White House.