The U.S. government sent a questionnaire to United Nations (UN) aid agencies asking whether they have links to communism or anti-Americanism.
BBC reported on the 15th (local time) that "the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the White House sent a questionnaire containing 36 questions asking about beliefs and affiliations to UN aid agencies, including the UN Refugee Agency, and international relief organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)."
According to BBC, the questionnaire includes the question, "Can you confirm that you do not cooperate with political parties that support communism, socialism, totalitarianism, or anti-American beliefs?" Additionally, it included questions regarding funding from countries like China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran, as well as whether major projects contain elements related to diversity, equity, inclusion, or climate change.
Most of the organizations that received the questionnaire have been funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. government. The U.S. was the largest donor to the UN, but has been scaling back foreign aid and withdrawing from international organizations under the guise of prioritizing domestic interests. It is also undergoing restructuring that could effectively eliminate USAID as it seeks to reduce federal government expenditure.
Concerns are also raised that the sending of this questionnaire by the U.S. government could be a step toward distancing itself from humanitarian efforts.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced that it decided not to answer the entire questionnaire. An OHCHR spokesperson explained, "Most questions require a response of 'yes' or 'no' with very limited scope for elaboration, and some questions were not applicable to the UN, so we are not in a position to provide direct answers online."
They added, "Regarding questions we can answer, we sent an email with explanations."