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October 10, 2025

Andrew Campbell 

The United Nations will begin reducing its peacekeeping missions, planning a 25% cut to its overall force. This reduction will affect approximately 13,000 to 14,000 troops and police officers worldwide. The primary cause of the financial shortfall stems from the U.S. government’s cuts to foreign aid and peacekeeping budgets under President Donald Trump, as well as the United States’ outstanding debt of more than $2.8 billion to the UN.

The United States is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, covering more than 26% of total funding, followed by China at around 24%. According to the UN, the U.S. currently owes an additional $1.3 billion, raising its total unpaid contributions to over $2.8 billion. This amount includes $1.5 billion in arrears from before the new fiscal year began on July 1.

As a result of these funding reductions, the UN will scale back its global peacekeeping presence by 25% in the coming months. Thousands of troops are expected to withdraw from missions around the world as the U.S. adjusts its contributions in line with President Trump’s “America First” policy, a UN official announced on October 8.