U.S. moves to exit UN: Bill targets 'platform for tyrants'
"The United Nations has devolved into a platform for tyrants," stated Senator Mike Lee from Utah. Republican politicians have initiated efforts aimed at withdrawing the United States from the UN.
Republican politicians are concerned that the United Nations does not advance U.S. interests and is not aligned with President Donald Trump's "America First" policy, according to Fox News.
The end of the U.S. in the UN? "A platform for tyrants"
Senator Mike Lee from Utah introduced a bill on Thursday named the "Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2025." This bill seeks to terminate U.S. membership in the UN and its affiliated organisations, as well as halt funding for these groups. The co-author of the bill in the Senate is Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee.
In the House of Representatives, the bill will be introduced by Chip Roy from Texas, who asserts that the UN and its agencies do not support American interests.
Senator Lee, in his statement to Fox News, said, "The United Nations has devolved into a platform for tyrants and a venue to attack America and her allies." He added, "We should stop paying for it. As President Trump revolutionizes our foreign policy by putting America first, we should withdraw from this sham organization and prioritize real alliances that keep our country safe and prosperous," wrote the Republican politician.
The USA is the largest donor to the UN. In 2022, it contributed over £14 billion to the organisation, which constitutes about one-third of its total budget.
Roy highlighted the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The organisation came under scrutiny after a UN investigation revealed that UNRWA employees might have been involved in an attack by the Palestinian Hamas group on Israel in October 2023. In response, the USA temporarily suspended funding for UNRWA in January 2024.
"No sane country would stand for this," said Roy.
Republican representatives, such as Mike Rogers from Alabama, Eli Crane from Arizona, Diana Harshbarger from Tennessee, Anna Paulina Luna from Florida, Harriet Hageman from Wyoming, Josh Brecheen from Oklahoma, Thomas Massie from Kentucky, and Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, also support the bill.
The bill also stipulates that the USA will not participate in peace negotiations with the UN and prohibits the executive branch from making membership agreements with the UN or its entities without the Senate's consent.
Divisions in American society regarding the UN
American society is divided on the issue of the UN. According to a Pew Research Center survey from April 2024, over 70 percent of Democrats and independents with liberal views have a positive opinion of the UN, compared to 34 percent of Republicans and independents with Republican views.
President Trump attempted to reduce UN funding during his first term and again in his second, signing an executive order in February to withdraw the USA from the UN Human Rights Council and cut funds for UNRWA.
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