US moves to re-engage UN in Geneva while pressing for deep reforms

GENEVA/WASHINGTON – The United States is moving to reassert its presence at the United Nations in Geneva by filling a long-vacant ambassadorial post, even as it continues to withhold billions of dollars in UN funding and presses the organisation to accelerate wide-ranging reforms.

The White House said late on Wednesday that Todd Steggerda, a lawyer and former US Navy pilot from Virginia, had been selected as Washington’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, subject to Senate confirmation. Diplomats and UN officials welcomed the appointment as a tentative signal that the Trump administration intends to remain engaged with the global body, despite its sharp criticism of multilateral institutions.

“A senior appointment into the UN system could be a good sign that they are engaging,” said Adam Day, head of the Geneva office of the UN University Centre for Policy Research.
“At least the US will listen now,” one Western diplomat said.

Washington traditionally assigns four ambassadors to Geneva, which hosts dozens of UN agencies and is a key hub for global diplomacy. However, since President Donald Trump returned to office, only one envoy, World Trade Organization ambassador Joseph Barloon, has been in place.

The move comes against the backdrop of a strained relationship between Washington and the UN. Trump has described the organisation as having “great potential” while accusing it of inefficiency, mission creep and failure to support US-led peace initiatives. He has also criticised the creation of new UN mechanisms, including a “board of peace”, which some in Washington view as competing with US diplomatic efforts.

In January, Trump announced the US withdrawal from dozens of international organisations and UN entities, arguing that they operated contrary to American national interests. That same month, the United States formally exited the Geneva-based World Health Organization, and last year disengaged from the UN Human Rights Council, though it has remained active in several Geneva-based bodies that shape global business and technical standards.

At the same time, Washington is pressing ahead with demands for deep institutional reform, while signalling that it will begin paying part of its long-outstanding dues. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said on Wednesday that a down payment on US arrears would be made within weeks, even as the administration continues to apply pressure for cost-cutting and restructuring.

“We’re going to continue sustained pressure on demanding efficiency,” Waltz told reporters in Geneva. “We’re going to continue to ask these agencies to do at least the same amount, if not more, with less.”

The United States is the UN’s largest contributor, but under Trump’s administration it has refused to make mandatory payments to the organisation’s regular and peacekeeping budgets, while slashing millions of dollars in voluntary contributions to UN agencies with their own funding streams.

UN officials say Washington owed $2.19 billion to the UN’s regular budget as of the start of February, more than 95 percent of the total arrears owed by all member states combined. The US also owes an additional $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions, as well as $43.6 million for UN tribunals.

Waltz did not specify how much money would be included in the initial payment, but said the US would meet its obligations while continuing to demand reforms. “We’re going to pay those dues and we’re going to continue to demand reforms. We’re off to a good start,” he said.

He pointed to recent UN restructuring measures that resulted in a 20 percent cut to the UN Secretariat’s regular budget, including the elimination of thousands of jobs, a hiring freeze and restrictions on staff travel.

During his two-day visit to Geneva, Waltz is meeting officials from several UN agencies, including the UN refugee agency UNHCR, which is facing the most severe funding crisis in its history following cuts by major donors, including the United States.

The US envoy also urged the UN to pursue further savings by expanding remote work, using artificial intelligence for translation services, and relocating staff away from its most expensive hubs in New York and Geneva. Some agencies, including UNICEF, have already announced plans to move thousands of staff to lower-cost locations.

Despite the confrontational tone, diplomats say the decision to appoint a Geneva ambassador suggests Washington is seeking influence from within the system rather than a complete retreat. Whether the renewed engagement will stabilise US-UN relations, or simply reinforce pressure for sweeping reform, remains an open question.