Trump's UN Team Pushes Business-Style Reforms Amid Congressional Scrutiny

A recent Capitol Hill hearing featured U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and deputy ambassador Jeff Bartos outlining a reform agenda that treats the United Nations like a struggling corporation, emphasizing clear missions, incentives and execution. Critics such as Rep. Dina Titus pointed to Bartos's lack of diplomatic experience, but the U.S. mission posted a clip defending his business background. Senator John Fetterman praised the team, noting $1 billion in budget reductions and the removal of roughly 4,000 civilian positions.

Bartos described his work as fixing mundane management issues—from troop reimbursements to pension structures—to change institutional expectations. The team also highlighted humanitarian field visits, like Bartos’s trip to refugee camps in the Central African Republic, to illustrate the practical impact of reforms. Tensions surfaced when the French mission accused the U.S. of abandoning human-rights leadership, prompting a walkout and further debate over the UN’s credibility.