Mike Waltz, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.N. ambassador, emphasized the need for United Nations reform and a stronger American stance against China during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Waltz, a retired Army Green Beret and former Florida congressman, stated his confidence in "making the U.N. great again" while underscoring that the world body has strayed from its founding principles of peacemaking.
Echoing Trump’s criticisms of multilateral institutions, Waltz noted the U.N. had grown inefficient, ballooning to over 80 agencies with overlapping mandates. He praised U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ UN80 reform plan, which calls for a 20% staff cut to reduce redundancy and boost transparency. Waltz pledged to support reforms and greater accountability, especially in U.N. peacekeeping efforts.
Waltz also stressed the need to counter China’s growing influence within the 193-member organization, calling it a strategic priority. He criticized the U.N. for what he described as anti-Israel bias and for overburdening the U.S., which contributes 22% of the U.N.'s core budget and 27% of peacekeeping funds. The U.S. currently owes $2.8 billion, including $1.5 billion for the regular budget.
Previously serving as Trump’s national security adviser, Waltz was nominated as U.N. envoy after a scandal involving the use of Signal messaging. He defended the platform’s use for authorized communications, clarifying that no classified information was shared.
Since returning to office, Trump has distanced the U.S. from several global organizations, suspending funding to UNRWA, reviewing UNESCO membership, and reaffirming his exit from the Paris climate agreement and the WHO. The U.N. responded diplomatically, urging all member states to engage constructively.
Waltz’s confirmation would mark a continuation of Trump’s assertive approach to U.N. diplomacy.