Donald Trump to sign executive order to dramatically reduce funding of United Nations

The upcoming order would dramatically reduce the US’ role in the UN and other international organisations

Mr Trump has various executive orders at the ready (AP)

Donald Trump is preparing executive orders that would dramatically reduce US funding of the United Nations, as well as other international organisations that do not meet certain criteria.

The executive order plans to repeal certain multilateral treaties too, officials told the New York Times, which would likely include treaties on climate change.

The first order, called "Auditing and Reducing US Funding of International Organisations", will take away funding for any United Nations agency or international body that meets criteria, including: organisations that give full membership to the Palestinian Authority or Palestine Liberation Organisation; support abortion and any group that circumvents sanctions on Iran or North Korea.

Funding will be taken away from any organisation that is "controlled or substantially influenced by any state that sponsors terrorism" or is behind the persecution of marginalised groups or systematic violation of human rights.

The order has singled out peacekeeping, the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Population Fund. The UNPFA targets violence against women, fights to keeps childbirth and abortion, where it is legal, safe, and was a key presence in safeguarding women in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew.

The order demands decreasing US funding towards international organisations by at least 40 per cent. Mr Trump has included the International Criminal Court here, yet the US currently pays nothing to the ICC.

If this order is signed, it would essentially decimate a global peacekeeping operation which is present in 16 countries.

Earlier reports revealed that Congress was planning legislation to stop funding the UN after it voted to condemn Israeli settlement building in the Occupied Territories.

President Trump dismissed the UN last December as a "club" for people to "have a good time".

He also signed an executive order on Monday, re-instating the Ronald Reagan-era law which prohibits federal funding for any international organisation that carries out abortions or even mentions abortions, or tells its patients or clients where to go to get an abortion.

For this reason, the Mexico City Policy is also called the Global Gag Rule.