US blocks new UNHCR deputy, straining donor relations amid funding crunch
The Trump administration is refusing to cooperate with Tressa Rae Finerty, the newly appointed deputy head of UNHCR, while she seeks a US waiver to carry out parts of her duties.
Tressa Rae Finerty, a former US Mission to the UN charge d'affaires, assumed the role of Deputy High Commissioner at UNHCR this month but has been placed on leave while she pursues a partial waiver from the US government to attend multilateral meetings attended by State Department officials. The Trump administration's refusal to work with her is viewed by diplomats as retaliation for UNHCR's rejection of the administration's favored nominee, Simon Hankinson.
The agency is already grappling with a severe funding crisis after US aid fell from over $800 million in 2025 to roughly $110 million this year, jeopardizing its response to record global displacement. Post-employment restrictions on former US officials, which can carry prison penalties if violated, further limit Finerty's direct contact with US officials. UNHCR hopes for a swift, favorable resolution, emphasizing that its operations and reform agenda continue unabated.
Why it matters
The dispute threatens crucial US funding for refugees at a time of record displacement worldwide.
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