STORY: The United States has paused contributions to the World Trade Organization, three trade sources told Reuters.
This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up efforts to cut government spending.
It is also retreating from global groups such as the World Health Organization that the administration sees at odds with its “America First” agenda.
A U.S. delegate told a March 4 WTO budget meeting that its payments to the 2024 and 2025 budgets were on hold pending a review according to two sources.
A third trade source said the WTO was coming up with a “Plan B” in case of a prolonged funding pause.
The WTO has already been hobbled by a U.S. move in 2019 during Trump’s first term to block new judge appointments to its top appeals court.
This left its key dispute settlement system only partially functional.
Washington had accused the WTO Appellate Body of judicial overreach in trade disputes.
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