The United States announced at the United Nations (UN) its refusal to support resolutions containing terminology related to so-called reproductive and sexual rights, unless it is explicitly stated that these matters remain the exclusive competence of states. President Donald Trump’s administration pointed out that this terminology has in the past been used by UN agencies to promote abortion and other ideological issues.
During its 80th session, the UN General Assembly adopted several resolutions without a vote. “During the session, representatives of the United States informed that the federal delegation will not support any resolution containing terminology related to so-called reproductive and sexual rights unless it includes explicit reservations confirming that issues related to health policy, protection of life, and regulations concerning sexuality remain the exclusive competence of member states,” reports the Ordo Iuris portal.
American representatives noted that these terms have previously been used by UN agencies and programs to promote measures that do not constitute an agreed-upon human rights standard. In particular, reference was made to actions interpreted by some countries as expanding the so-called right to abortion, recommending solutions concerning the transgender status of children, and promoting a broadly defined gender agenda.
The United States also stated in its official position that “in its 80th year, the United Nations must return to its fundamental principles, renew its founding mission of maintaining international peace and security, and rebuild global trust that it can be a responsible steward of the valuable resources entrusted to it by member states. To this end, we must urgently confront the fact that the UN currently spends an unbalanced amount of 16 billion USD annually on staff salaries within the common system.”
“These statements reflect the broader direction of the US administration’s international policy, which since the beginning of its term has emphasized the need to restore the principle of national sovereignty in areas of regulation concerning family life, public health, and bioethical issues, and to return to the founding idea behind the creation of the UN,” emphasizes Ordo Iuris.
The UN Secretary-General presented the proposed regular budget of the organization for 2026. According to the official document, the total proposed budget amounts to 3.238 billion USD, a reduction of 577 million USD compared to 2025, representing a 15.1% decrease.
As Ordo Iuris points out, the US statement regarding the language of resolutions and the presentation of the 2026 budget proposal are indirectly related. Although the United States did not directly link the two, its limited funding of the UN creates a context in which the organization is forced to restructure and reduce resources. “The US change in position regarding the content of resolutions, especially in areas of politically and legally controversial terms, aligns with a broader trend of emphasizing the sovereign competencies of member states and limiting the interpretive scope of international institutions. Meanwhile, budget cuts, including a significant reduction in staff positions, may in the longer term affect the pace of preparatory work, the functioning of certain political missions, and the operations of agencies coordinating large development and social projects,” the portal reads.