By Mark Hench | The Hill
President Trump’s administration is crafting an executive order that will potentially reduce America’s role in global funding of organizations like the United Nations, according to a new report.
Trump’s draft order calls for enacting “at least a 40 percent overall decrease” in U.S. funding to international groups meeting any one of several criteria, The New York Times said Wednesday.
The Times said one benchmark impacts any organization that gives full membership to the Palestinian Authority or Palestine Liberation Organization.
The criteria also apply to groups that support programs funding abortion, it continued, or those that skirt sanctions against Iran or North Korea.
The rule also calls for reducing funding to any organization that “is controlled or substantially influenced by any state that sponsors terrorism,” the Times said, or groups blamed for the persecution of marginalized groups or any other systematic violation of human rights.
Trump’s draft order, which is titled “Auditing and Reducing U.S. Funding of International Organizations,” would establish a committee to recommend where such funding cuts should be made.
The outline specifically asks the committee to examine U.S. global funding for peacekeeping operations abroad, the Times said.
The committee will also be asked to scrutinize the International Criminal Court, the United Nations Population Fund and development aid to countries that “oppose important United States policies.”
Trump’s order, if signed and its provisions implemented, could severely curtail the work of U.N. agencies relying heavily on American dollars, the Times said.
The Times noted it remains unclear whether Trump’s order calls for cutting at least 40 percent of U.S. contributions to each international agency separately or the overall federal funding budget.
The newspaper added the U.S. provides roughly a quarter of all funding to U.N. peacekeeping operations, of which there are more than a dozen.
The U.N. currently has ongoing operations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, according to the Times.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the U.N.’s actions, remarking in December, for example, “they cause problems” rather than inspire positive global cooperation.