Ex-diplomat urges conditional UN funding ahead of General Assembly

A former U.S. diplomat is urging President Joe Biden to condition U.S. funding to the United Nations on concrete reforms as world leaders prepare to convene at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Hugh Dugan, who advised 11 U.S. ambassadors to the UN and served as President Donald Trump’s envoy for hostage diplomacy in the first administration, told Fox News Digital that Washington should demand accountability. He said the U.S. is the host and architect of the UN, and will likely enter the General Assembly with a conditional mindset. “We need to see an organization that is effective and efficient, or we need to move on,” Dugan said. He argued that any real reform package should include clear benchmarks and consequences if progress stalls, rather than broad promises.

With the United States covering an estimated 20% to 30% of the UN budget, Dugan argued that funding should be linked to demonstrated progress. He reminded audiences that the U.S. has a major stake in the body’s performance and that the president will likely come to New York with a conditional approach. “We are the host country. We were an architect of the U.N. So, yes, I believe that the president is going to come with a conditional mindset,” he said. Dugan also pointed to next year’s secretary-general election as a potential inflection point for reform, saying that members must set clear expectations and communicate them to candidates so the organization’s trajectory becomes clearer over the coming months. He added that the most immediate diplomatic value of this year’s assembly may lie in sideline conversations among leaders, which he described as the UN’s unique strength: a forum where officials can talk with one another without the glare of public expectation.

Dugan tempered any optimism about a quick resolution to global crises. He said the gathering will not single-handedly resolve the war in Ukraine or the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, noting that the United Nations “has had plenty of opportunity. It hasn’t risen to the occasion.” He argued that reforms must be paired with accountability measures, including a formal reporting framework that tracks how money is spent and what results are achieved. “The UN must begin offering a ‘report to shareholders’ — a yearly breakdown of where money went and what change it produced,” he said, describing it as a practical step toward restoring confidence in the institution.

Beyond internal reforms, Dugan warned that Beijing is steadily enhancing its influence within the UN system. He said China is building up its diplomatic bench and mastering multilateral procedures, arguing that Washington must respond in kind. “China is investing in its diplomatic talent from the ground up, and they are going to master the multilateral game relatively soon,” he said. “We need to invest in our own skill set — a thicker bench that understands this place — and beat China on fair ground.” He warned that while the U.S. debates how much to spend, China appears poised to shape the agenda in ways that could push human rights and liberal norms aside if Western allies do not keep pace.

As Trump eyes an address to the General Assembly, the stakes are clear: the United States must demand that the UN prove its worth or risk ceding influence to rivals. Dugan framed the central message this way: “The single most important message is that the UN must perform if it wants continued American support. Otherwise, we’ll look elsewhere — and China will be all too ready to fill the void.”