The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, proposed to the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, to move towards a reform of the international organization to make it a “more agile”, “responsible” institution focused on the priorities promoted by President Donald Trump.

The proposal was discussed during a phone call between the two leaders and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott. According to the official statement, Rubio and Guterres talked about “how to advance President Trump's vision of a United Nations that is back to basics, more agile and accountable.”

The initiative is part of the Trump administration's strategy to restructure the functioning of the UN and reduce what Washington considers bureaucratic duplication and unnecessary expenses.

The rapprochement between Rubio and Guterres occurs a few days after the United States announced a new fund of $1.8 billion for humanitarian programs coordinated by the UN. According to the Associated Press agency, the Trump administration conditioned part of that financial support on the implementation of internal reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and transparency of the international system.

Mike Waltz himself, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, noted during the presentation of the aid package that the financing seeks to promote “reforms of efficiency, responsibility and lasting results” within the multilateral organization. The media highlighted that Washington believes that the UN should reduce administrative costs and focus on programs considered priority for US interests.

The US pressure on the United Nations also occurs in the midst of a delicate financial crisis for the organization. The United Nations Office in Geneva warned last October that the institution faces a “race to bankruptcy” due to delays in contributions from several member states and increased operating expenses.

Among the reforms promoted by Guterres is the “UN80” program, aimed at reducing costs, consolidating departments and cutting thousands of administrative positions.

During the telephone conversation, Rubio also addressed with Guterres the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and US efforts to stop Iran's activities in that strategic area for global energy trade. The State Department indicated that Washington and Bahrain promoted a resolution in the Security Council to defend freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf.

However, China and Russia previously blocked a similar initiative, considering that it placed sole responsibility on Iran for regional tensions, according to information from different agencies and recent diplomatic reports.

Analysts consider that the hardening of the US stance towards the UN reflects Trump's intention to redefine Washington's relationship with multilateral organizations during his second term, favoring smaller structures, aligned with national interests and subject to greater budgetary control.