Mike Lee vows to pull all US funding from UN after its failure to condemn Hamas

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) announced that he is planning to introduce legislation to slash US funding to the United Nations after the body’s General Assembly failed to pass a resolution to condemn Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel.

Last week, the UN passed a resolution calling for an "immediate, durable and sustainable humanitarian truce" between Israel and Hamas. Only 14 countries including the US opposed the resolution. The nonbinding resolution called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all of the captives, but did not mention Hamas by name. The resolution also demanded that supplies be allowed into Gaza.

The US and Canada attempted to amend the resolution to condemn Hamas by name and demand an immediate release of hostages but it failed to win the two-thirds majority required to pass the General Assembly, according to the Guardian.

In response, Lee posted on social media, "It's officially time to withdraw all US funding for the UN. The UN does a lot of bad things. And if it can't even do a good thing as simple as condemning war crimes, it's over between us."

He added, "I want to be clear about his: NOT. ONE. MORE. DOLLAR. NOT. ONE. MORE. CENT.” and that he's "begun the process of drafting legislation" to do so.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the US has been the largest financial supporter of the UN, contributing over $12.5 billion, one-fifth of the inter-governmental body’s budget.

A Morning Consult poll in 2022 revealed that only 36 percent of Republicans view the UN favorably, while 39 percent view it unfavorably, compared to 64 percent of Democrats who view the UN favorably and a mere 12 percent who view it unfavorably.

Less than half of Americans overall support the UN.