Kyle Matthews on the US Administration’s Withdrawal of UN Funding | Policy Magazine

September 18, 2025 | In a piece for Policy Magazine, Kyle Matthews, McConnell Visiting Professors of Practice for the 2025–26 academic year, reflects on the repercussions of the US administration’s withdrawal of funding to the United Nations. Nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid has been withheld, including funds for UN peacekeeping and democracy promotion. More than $500 million in USAID awards have been cancelled, cutting off projects that once delivered food, vaccines, and education to millions.

Matthews argues that the consequences are not only humanitarian but profoundly geopolitical. The World Food Programme warns it may cut up to 30 percent of its staff. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has cautioned that more than 11 million displaced people will lose lifesaving assistance. As he writes, the UN remains the last line of defense for the world’s most vulnerable. The General Assembly is often dismissed as little more than an annual parade of speeches. "This year is a test of survival," Matthews argues. If the plug is pulled, he warns, it won’t just be the institution that dies. It will be the idea that nations can confront global crises together.