Key facts
- Jeff Bartos believes UN reform is achievable, citing recent budget cuts and position eliminations.
- Approximately $570 million has been cut from the UN's regular budget.
- Around 2,900 positions within the UN have been eliminated.
- These reforms were achieved through consensus among all 193 member states.
- The Trump administration is linking future UN funding to reform efforts.
- The UN faces a significant cash crisis due to delayed member-state payments.
Jeff Bartos, the U.S. Ambassador for United Nations Management and Reform, believes that significant reforms are being made within the UN, challenging the long-held notion that such changes are an 'oxymoron.' During his 2025 confirmation hearing, Bartos recalled lawmakers expressing skepticism about the possibility of UN reform. However, he now points to concrete achievements, including approximately $570 million in cuts to the UN's regular budget and the elimination of around 2,900 positions. Bartos emphasized that these changes were achieved through unanimous consensus among all 193 member states, a feat he described as unprecedented in the UN's 80-year history. The Trump administration has made it clear that future funding for the UN is contingent on these reform efforts, particularly as the organization faces a severe cash crisis due to delayed payments from member states, including the United States. Bartos detailed further reform initiatives, such as changing the methodology for reimbursing countries for peacekeeping equipment, which is estimated to save $30 million annually. He also identified employee compensation and pensions as future targets for reform. While UN officials, like spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, acknowledge the Secretary-General's commitment to reform through initiatives like UN80, they argue that many reforms predate the current administration's pressure. Dujarric highlighted Guterres' concerns about liquidity challenges and the risk of financial collapse if member states do not meet their obligations or if financial rules are not overhauled. Bartos, however, contends that the pace and scope of reform accelerated due to U.S. pressure. He also noted that reform is a central topic in discussions for the next UN Secretary-General, whose term begins at the end of 2026. Bartos, who previously ran for office in Pennsylvania, sees his role at the UN as an endurance challenge, requiring discipline and persistence. He has also been tasked with leading efforts to combat perceived anti-Israel bias within the UN system.