THE U.S. ROLE IN THE UNITED NATIONS

As the 75th anniversary of the UN, perhaps this is as good a time as any to discuss the United States’ role in the organization—particularly in light of President Donald Trump and his administration’s efforts to de-emphasize multilateral relations and global governance mechanisms.

The U.S. played a pivotal part in the founding of the UN in 1945. Much of the world’s rules-based structure for international law, regional security arrangements, trade agreements, immigration rules and cultural exchanges has been profoundly influenced by the U.S.

For decades, the U.S. has provided one of the largest financial contributions to the UN’s overall budget. It hosts the UN