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Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
Trump does UN's job on world stage, leads on peace while secretary-general earns more at anti-US body
Following President Donald Trump's successful brokering of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, India and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, critics say the U.N. secretary-general, António Guterres, could do well to follow Trump's lead as a peacemaker. However, as American taxpayers still continue to pay billions to the United Nations, and while Trump outshines Guterres on the world stage, Guterres' base salary is more than the commander in chief's. At $418,348, Guterres earns a higher base salary than President Donald Trump while running a body accused of anti-American bias, corruption and waste. Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council special assistant to the president and senior director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital, "Frankly, we put [Guterres] on this plateau as being on par with a pope or head of state, when, in fact, he's really an employee, and he's the country club manager, not the father of the bride, but he's calling all the shots when it comes to the ceremony and who sits where. "You flatter him right away," Dugan said, when comparing Guterres with Trump, "when in fact he is one of the president's employees – in fact, the employee of all the heads of state. And to outearn [him]… is really indicative of managerial capture of the organization and of the Deep State U.N. on the books." The spotlight on the salaries and perks comes at a time when the world body is facing serious financial constraints. Not including expenses and extras, Trump receives some $18,348 less than Guterres at $400,000. The presidential extras include a $50,000 expense allowance and other benefits. Guterres' salary, provided to Fox News Digital by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, only includes his salary and multiplier. It does not include the considerable array of other benefits that Guterres enjoys. In an email to Fox News Digital, Dujarric said the "Net base salary as of Jan 2025 – $238,375 per year (reference resolution 58/265 adjusted in accordance with the same procedures as those applicable to staff in the Professional and higher categories). "Post adjustment as of February 2025 – $179,973 per year. Adjustments to salaries are based on geographic locations." The spokesman later confirmed to Fox News Digital that the U.N. chief's salary was $418, 348. Those earnings do not include some of the lavish extras he gets, such as a plush Manhattan residence and a personal chauffeur. While the U.S. doesn't directly pay the salary of the secretary-general, it does continue to fund around a quarter of the organization's budget, and critics continue to question outlays that they believe harm U.S. interests. Just last month, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Dorothy Shea issued a veiled warning to the world body upon vetoing an anti-Israel draft resolution at the U.N. Security Council. "Engaging in this performative process at a time when serious questions are being asked about the utility of the U.N., its funding and use of resources is shameful. This council should not be used in this way. This council must hold itself to a higher standard." A senior Republican congressional staffer who works on international organizations complained, "United Nations officials are the ultimate global elites. They earn lavish salaries and live in lavish New York penthouses, paid for largely with American taxpayer money. A large number of the U.N. organizations they lead are controlled by China. When they're not in New York, they spend their time and resources traveling all over the world attacking America and American allies. "The work of DOGE isn't done yet, and one step needs to be cutting off these officials from U.S. taxpayer money."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Trump official slams UN reform efforts as 'eight and a half years late'
FIRST ON FOX: The United Nations' UN80 Task Force is examining multiple suggested methods for reorganizing the institution, according to a leaked, confidential document shared with Fox News Digital. The six-page paper cites multiple inefficiencies and areas of improvement needed to combat "geopolitical shifts and substantial reductions in foreign aid budgets" which are "challenging the legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization." The effort is "eight and a half years late," Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital: "If [Secretary-General António] Guterres really comprehends that the system needs a major overhaul, he should step down and facilitate an early U.N. Secretary-General election." Dugan said that "the person with the fresh mandate" should overhaul the U.N. Watchdog Org Calls For Sanctions Against Un Appointee Accused Of Antisemitism The UN80 Task Force document notes that "overlapping mandates, inefficient use of resources, and inconsistent delivery of services" are among the problems with proliferating agencies, funds and programs, and notes ways to integrate, consolidate, and coordinate among reformed entities to maximize the benefit for those who rely on the U.N. As another means of reducing outlays, the task force also recommended reducing the quantity of high-level posts, establishing single entities to coordinate Peace and Security, Humanitarian Affairs, and Human Rights, and "reduc[ing] the number of U.N. development system entities." Dugan said the document "looks more like a whiteboard stream of consciousness approach that you find on the first day of a business retreat." He said that it lacks mention of human resource improvements, finding ways of recruiting "the very best in the world," or "identifying performance measurements or metrics against the leaders of the organization, branches, [or] offices." Read On The Fox News App Dugan said that the task force is also missing the important confidence-building measures needed to increase buy-in from members, to keep them "impressed and enthusiastic" about U.N. programs. "They're assuming that they are the leaders that are the right people at the right time." Dugan said this is "a real shortcoming." "I don't think they have the confidence of the world community or the talents or the resources to hold out another year and a half under this regime of Secretary Guterres," Dugan said. Rather than utilize the "Noah's Ark management mentality" of attempting to "weather the storm," Dugan said that the U.N. must "get very creative very quickly with what they have at hand." Dugan noted that the U.N. has gone through a "fall-off in relevance" with its lack of involvement in "real world dynamics between member states." He urged the organization to identify "the multilateral collateral, meaning we've got to identify what's good, and then we have to get rid of what's damaged after eight years." Doge Usaid Budget Cuts Hit Un In 'Worst Liquidity Crisis Since Its Establishment' In response to concerns shared by Dugan, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, said that the memo "is the result of an exercise to generate ideas and thoughts from senior officials on how to achieve the Secretary-General's vision" and is one "of the three work streams that we are working on." Dujarric pointed to a speech Guterres delivered in March when introducing the UN80 Initiative, in which he called for an "ambitious reform agenda to strengthen how we work and deliver." Guterres said this involves increasing transparency and accountability, being more effective and cutting costs, and decentralizing decisions to serve those who rely on the U.N. Dujarric also mentioned a speech Guterres gave eight years ago in September 2017, when he lamented the Byzantine bureaucracy that hampers progress at the U.N., and said that he was "pursuing sweeping management reform – to simplify procedures and decentralize decisions, with greater transparency, efficiency and accountability." For Dugan, Guterres' failure to attempt those "sweeping" reforms prior to 2025 is an indication that regime change is needed. He reiterated that "the Secretary-General's 'Trust me' window dressing is no longer convincing us to pay full retail." U.S. contributions to the U.N. may also take a hit. In April, a White House Office of Management and Budget passback to the State Department indicated the desire to end funding for international organizations, including the U.N. Other countries are also falling short with contributions. In March, Guterres' spokesperson Farhan Haq told Fox News Digital that member states' non-payment of dues had forced the closure of one staff entrance to the U.N. headquarters in New York City at the time. Original article source: Former Trump official slams UN reform efforts as 'eight and a half years late'
Fox News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Former Trump official slams UN reform efforts as 'eight and a half years late'
FIRST ON FOX: The United Nations' UN80 Task Force is examining multiple suggested methods for reorganizing the institution, according to a leaked, confidential document shared with Fox News Digital. The six-page paper cites multiple inefficiencies and areas of improvement needed to combat "geopolitical shifts and substantial reductions in foreign aid budgets" which are "challenging the legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization." The effort is "eight and a half years late," Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital: "If [Secretary-General António] Guterres really comprehends that the system needs a major overhaul, he should step down and facilitate an early U.N. Secretary-General election." Dugan said that "the person with the fresh mandate" should overhaul the U.N. The UN80 Task Force document notes that "overlapping mandates, inefficient use of resources, and inconsistent delivery of services" are among the problems with proliferating agencies, funds and programs, and notes ways to integrate, consolidate, and coordinate among reformed entities to maximize the benefit for those who rely on the U.N. As another means of reducing outlays, the task force also recommended reducing the quantity of high-level posts, establishing single entities to coordinate Peace and Security, Humanitarian Affairs, and Human Rights, and "reduc[ing] the number of U.N. development system entities." Dugan said the document "looks more like a whiteboard stream of consciousness approach that you find on the first day of a business retreat." He said that it lacks mention of human resource improvements, finding ways of recruiting "the very best in the world," or "identifying performance measurements or metrics against the leaders of the organization, branches, [or] offices." Dugan said that the task force is also missing the important confidence-building measures needed to increase buy-in from members, to keep them "impressed and enthusiastic" about U.N. programs. "They're assuming that they are the leaders that are the right people at the right time." Dugan said this is "a real shortcoming." "I don't think they have the confidence of the world community or the talents or the resources to hold out another year and a half under this regime of Secretary Guterres," Dugan said. Rather than utilize the "Noah's Ark management mentality" of attempting to "weather the storm," Dugan said that the U.N. must "get very creative very quickly with what they have at hand." Dugan noted that the U.N. has gone through a "fall-off in relevance" with its lack of involvement in "real world dynamics between member states." He urged the organization to identify "the multilateral collateral, meaning we've got to identify what's good, and then we have to get rid of what's damaged after eight years." In response to concerns shared by Dugan, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, said that the memo "is the result of an exercise to generate ideas and thoughts from senior officials on how to achieve the Secretary-General's vision" and is one "of the three work streams that we are working on." Dujarric pointed to a speech Guterres delivered in March when introducing the UN80 Initiative, in which he called for an "ambitious reform agenda to strengthen how we work and deliver." Guterres said this involves increasing transparency and accountability, being more effective and cutting costs, and decentralizing decisions to serve those who rely on the U.N. Dujarric also mentioned a speech Guterres gave eight years ago in September 2017, when he lamented the Byzantine bureaucracy that hampers progress at the U.N., and said that he was "pursuing sweeping management reform – to simplify procedures and decentralize decisions, with greater transparency, efficiency and accountability." For Dugan, Guterres' failure to attempt those "sweeping" reforms prior to 2025 is an indication that regime change is needed. He reiterated that "the Secretary-General's 'Trust me' window dressing is no longer convincing us to pay full retail." U.S. contributions to the U.N. may also take a hit. In April, a White House Office of Management and Budget passback to the State Department indicated the desire to end funding for international organizations, including the U.N. Other countries are also falling short with contributions. In March, Guterres' spokesperson Farhan Haq told Fox News Digital that member states' non-payment of dues had forced the closure of one staff entrance to the U.N. headquarters in New York City at the time.
