The Trump administration has urged foreign governments to reject a Palestinian bid for the 2026-2027 presidency of the U.N. General Assembly, warning it would undermine efforts to pursue peace in the Middle East and risk sharp congressional cuts in U.S. funding for the United Nations, according to three well-placed diplomatic sources.
In recent weeks, U.S. diplomats have delivered formal diplomatic messages — known as démarches — in foreign capitals, expressing strong opposition to the Palestinians’ campaign to lead the world’s largest representative body, composed of 193 member states.
The move comes as the White House on Friday proposed draconian cuts in U.N. spending, eliminating billions of dollars in assessed U.S. contributions to peacekeeping and proposing a pause on most assessed and voluntary contributions to the U.N. and other international agencies in 2026.
About the author
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
