Foreign Policy

GOP Lawmakers Move to Defund the UN, Citing Anti-American Bias

Published

February 24, 2025

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Disengaging Entirely from the United Nations Debacle (DEFUND) Act. This bill calls for the complete withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations (UN). Lee’s legislation focuses on national sovereignty and fiscal accountability. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rick Scott (R-FL). House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) are introducing a companion bill in the House.

A Stand Against UN Overreach

Sen. Lee emphasized that the DEFUND Act protects American taxpayers.

“No more blank checks for the United Nations. Americans’ hard-earned dollars fund initiatives that undermine our values, enable tyrants, betray allies, and spread bigotry,” Lee said. “With the DEFUND Act, we’re stepping away from this debacle. If we engage with the UN in the future, it will be on our terms, with Senate approval and an iron-clad escape clause.”

Sen. Blackburn stressed that the UN has consistently undermined U.S. national security.

“The United Nations has betrayed our trust time and again. We cannot continue funding an organization that placates Hamas terrorists and the Chinese Communist Party,” Blackburn said. “The DEFUND Act would halt all forms of U.S. financial support and hold the UN accountable.”

Key Provisions of the DEFUND Act

The DEFUND Act takes concrete steps to cut U.S. ties with the UN. The bill includes the following provisions:

Repeals key laws binding the U.S. to the UN, such as the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 and the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act.
Ends all financial support to the UN, including assessed and voluntary contributions.
Prohibits U.S. participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Revokes diplomatic immunity for UN officials in the U.S.
Confirms withdrawal from the World Health Organization and other UN conventions.
Requires Senate approval for future engagement with the UN, ensuring an explicit withdrawal clause.

A Response to UN Failures and Corruption

The DEFUND Act responds to years of financial waste and policy failures within the UN. Sen. Lee and his colleagues argue that U.S. taxpayers should not fund an organization that consistently works against American values and allies.

Rep. Chip Roy detailed how UN agencies have acted against U.S. and allied interests.

“The UN doesn’t deserve a single dime of American taxpayer money or our support. We should defund it and leave immediately,” Roy said. “I am proud to lead this critical effort with Mike Lee and Mike Rogers.”

The Case for U.S. Withdrawal

For decades, the U.S. has shouldered an outsized financial burden at the UN. The country contributes one-fifth of the UN’s budget, including voluntary payments that are not mandated by any agreement. The DEFUND Act asserts that these contributions have:

Provided political cover for China’s forced abortion and sterilization programs.
Allowed UNRWA to protect Hamas while fueling anti-Israel bias.
Pushed climate regulations and globalist policies that conflict with U.S. sovereignty.
Endorsed a Palestinian state despite its continued support for terrorism.
Enabled biased legal actions against Israel, including ICC cases targeting its leaders.

Ensuring Future U.S. Sovereignty

Past administrations have tried to limit U.S. participation in certain UN entities, but later administrations reversed those actions. The DEFUND Act takes a permanent approach. It sets strict conditions for future engagement, requiring Senate approval and embedding an automatic withdrawal clause.

“The bloated, bureaucratic framework of the UN is exactly the kind of entanglement our Founders warned against,” Sen. Lee stated. “The DEFUND Act ensures that any future UN engagement will be on America’s terms.”

Next Steps for the DEFUND Act

The DEFUND Act has strong conservative backing. It now moves forward for committee review. The bill is expected to spark debate over whether the U.S. should continue funding a UN that has repeatedly failed to align with American values.