Diplomats seek to stop Trump admin from cutting ties with UN agency

The Trump administration has been considering ending U.S. support for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), prompting diplomats and U.N. officials to launch a lobbying effort to persuade Washington to maintain its relationship with the organization, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Eight sources, including diplomats, humanitarian officials, and a congressional source, told Reuters that the United States — historically UNHCR’s largest donor — has been weighing whether to disengage from the agency. Several sources said a decision had been expected last week, but no announcement was made, suggesting that diplomatic efforts may have delayed or prevented the move.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of discussions involving the U.S. and the United Nations, said the deliberations followed a disagreement over the appointment of UNHCR’s deputy high commissioner.

Five sources said the agency had warned supporters that it could be placed on a U.S. blacklist, which would end American funding and could also lead Washington to withdraw from UNHCR’s governing Executive Committee.

Diplomats and aid officials warned that losing U.S. financial support would significantly weaken the agency at a time when global displacement remains near record levels because of conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Sudan.

One source from an aid organization involved in the discussions said UNHCR had urged supporters to contact officials in the Trump administration to advocate for continued U.S. backing. Another diplomat said agency officials had encouraged governments and partners to use all available diplomatic channels to make the same appeal.

A UNHCR spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the United Nations had no information on the matter.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said there had been no changes to Washington’s engagement with UNHCR.

“As with many other international organizations, we work with and through UNHCR when doing so is useful to advance U.S. foreign policy interests or save lives,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the administration would continue reviewing the United States’ role in international organizations, citing a February 2025 executive order that called for an assessment of U.S. participation and funding.

Since beginning his second term, President Donald Trump has reduced funding for several U.N. agencies and withdrawn the United States from multiple international organizations, including the World Health Organization. His administration has also encouraged other countries to tighten asylum policies.

Leadership dispute

The disagreement reportedly centers on last month’s appointment of U.S. career diplomat Tressa Rae Finerty as UNHCR’s deputy high commissioner.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih selected Finerty instead of Simon Hankinson, a U.S.-backed candidate and former foreign service officer who has criticized UNHCR for what he described as pursuing “a mass migration agenda.”

Hankinson told Reuters he believed he would have been the right choice to reform the agency’s operations and spending, describing Finerty as a “business as usual” candidate.

Reuters was unable to reach Finerty for comment.

A former senior UNHCR official said Salih, a former president of Iraq and a refugee himself, would likely have faced significant internal opposition had he chosen Hankinson.

Two sources also said Andrew Veprek, assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, supported Hankinson’s candidacy. The State Department declined to comment on his involvement.

Financial impact

The United States was UNHCR’s largest donor in 2025, contributing about $868 million, or roughly one-quarter of the agency’s total funding.

UNHCR is already facing a financial crisis after available funding declined by about 30% in 2025 compared with the previous year. The agency has eliminated thousands of jobs and announced additional budget reductions this year.

Diplomats and humanitarian officials warned that a complete U.S. withdrawal would deepen the agency’s financial challenges and weaken support for the 1951 Refugee Convention, the foundation of the international refugee protection system.

A former senior UNHCR official said a U.S. decision to leave the agency would pose an existential threat and could have far-reaching consequences for global refugee assistance. -Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee and Sanjeev Miglani/Reuters