UN to slash global peacekeeping force, amid US funding cuts

The United Nations is preparing to slash its global peacekeeping force, cutting 13,000 to 14,000 troops and police from missions worldwide, following major U.S. funding reductions under President Trump’s renewed “America First” policy.

A senior U.N. official confirmed a 25 percent drawdown in personnel and a 15 percent budget cut, affecting missions in hotspots like Congo, South Sudan, Lebanon, and Somalia.

The U.S., the largest single contributor to U.N. peacekeeping, has reduced its commitment from 1 billion dollars to 680 million, saying it won’t fund “bloated and redundant” programs without a full review. Ambassador Mike Waltz says the U.S. wants the U.N. to “get back to basics.”

The cuts come as U.N. peacekeeping faces its biggest overhaul in decades. Since the 1990s, missions have grown from 11,000 to over 130,000 at their peak. Today, about 52,000 peacekeepers operate across 11 conflict zones.

China, the second-largest donor, has pledged to meet its full contribution. But with more than 60 U.N. agencies facing job cuts, the future of international peace efforts remains uncertain.