Trump Admin Demands UN Agencies Reveal Any 'Anti-American' Connections

The Trump administration has requested that United Nations humanitarian organizations receiving or distributing U.S. funds complete a questionnaire aimed at uncovering any connections they may have with communism, socialism, or views critical of America. This directive was confirmed by both U.S. and U.N. sources as well as through an acquired document reviewed by The Associated Press.

The UNICEF and the U.N. Refugee Agency have teamed up with the leftover offices and bureaus following the recent dissolution of the agency. United States Agency for International Development Upon getting the survey, which delved into various issues related to the Trump administration, including questions about whether any of the programs were advancing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

It remained uncertain just how broadly the administration distributed the survey. This information was confirmed by a present USAID employee, one U.S. official, and three United Nations officials.

"I've been informed by several of our colleagues that numerous agencies have received this kind of questionnaire," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated to journalists on Thursday when questioned about the survey.

Other officials commented on the document anonymously out of concern for potential retaliation.

It is the latest effort by President Donald Trump's administration to root out what it calls “waste, fraud and abuse” in the federal government, including by reevaluating foreign assistance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the administration has reduced programs abroad managed by USAID, the primary U.S. foreign assistance organization, by 83%.

Some questions in the survey address typical concerns such as whether a project includes a risk management framework. However, others delve into more contentious topics from a Republican perspective, particularly around organizational stances on providing abortion services or engaging with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and what might be termed "gender ideology" matters.

The survey requests participants to verify that "this is not related to climate or 'environmental justice' initiatives," that the group supports freedom of expression, and that they do not collaborate with organizations linked to communist, socialist, or authoritarian political groups, as well as those promoting anti-American ideologies.

A single question poses the U.N. agencies as part of the issue, prompting these organizations to consider if their initiatives "strengthen U.S. sovereignty by reducing dependence on international entities or global governance frameworks (such as the UN, WHO)?"

The second section of the survey prompts organizations to rate the impact as "no effect" to "significant effect" on queries such as, "To what extent does this initiative help prevent unlawful migration into the United States?" and "In what degree does this effort contribute to countering detrimental influences, like those originating from China?"

The relatively small number of staff remaining at USAID were amongst the federal employees still working diligently to finish the forms, even after the Trump administration declared that they had already planned to dismantle much of the agency's contractual agreements, as one USAID employee mentioned.

A previous diplomat stated that the inquiries will appear "invasive and uneasy" to individuals engaged in developmental activities abroad.

"At the United Nations, with its 193 member states representing every ethnicity, gender, and tongue, diversity is a reality," remarked Thomas Shannon, a previous U.S. diplomat who served under President Barack Obama and throughout Trump’s initial term as president.

"I sincerely hope that the United States recognizes that, with only a few exceptions, the programs at the U.N. are aimed at tackling genuine issues and challenges rather than promoting 'woke' ideology," he stated.

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Lee reported from La Malbaie, Canada, and Knickmeyer from Washington.

Farnoush Amiri, Matthew Lee, and Ellen Knickmeyer from The Associated Press