How does one prepare for a tsunami? Pile sandbags around the house. Board up the windows. Move to higher ground. Those are all physical preparations for a natural phenomenon. But what does one do when a diplomatic tsunami is about to take place? Donald Trump and his team have already announced tsunami-like actions against the United Nations and several of its agencies starting January 20. Here in Geneva, the site of many U.N. organizations, the local press has sounded the alarm. “Will Donald Trump marginalize International Geneva?” Stéphane Bussard questioned in Le Temps. “Will Donald Trump cut off the flow of money to international Geneva which depends largely on US funding?” Dorian Burkhalter asked in Swissinfo. Both journalists recognized the important financial contributions of the United States to the United Nations and the menacing statements coming from the new administration about reduced U.S. support.

What will the diplomatic tsunami look like? The United States contributed 28% of all country donations to the U.N. and its agencies in 2023, the most of any country. In comparison, China, its major global competitor, contributed 15% to the overall budget. Importantly for the agencies based in Geneva, in 2023 the United States contributed 40% of the budget of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and 44% for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, the largest country contribution. Globally, the United States also is the largest donator, at 25%, to the United Nations peace keeping operations and as well as 34% for the World Food Program. A major........

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