The Heritage Foundation has issued a statement supporting the Trump administration’s role in ending the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Professor Eugene Kontorovich, a senior research fellow at Heritage, commented on the development.
“UNIFIL became the UNRWA of Lebanon, serving as human shields for a terror group out of cowardice, laziness, and in some cases, hostility to Israel. The U.N. is packed with failed and wasteful entities, financially supported by American taxpayers but double-insulated against accountability.
“But peacekeeping missions are different because the U.S. can singlehandedly close them—and there is a lot of work to do on that score. We look forward to supporting Secretary Rubio and Ambassador-designate Mike Waltz on bringing American money home.”
The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution that will end UNIFIL in 2026 after 48 years of operation. The Heritage Foundation has long advocated for terminating the mission.
According to Heritage, UNIFIL was created in 1978 to oversee a ceasefire during Lebanon’s conflicts and was tasked in 2005 with disarming Hezbollah. However, the group claims UNIFIL did not prevent Hezbollah from amassing missiles or from attacking Israel following events on October 7, 2023. They also criticize the mission for organizing lectures unrelated to its mandate while receiving $150 million annually from U.S. taxpayers.
The organization argues that many U.N. peacekeeping operations are inefficient and lack oversight, with Americans funding foreign troops without achieving lasting peace. The Heritage Foundation plans to push for further reviews of other ongoing missions such as those in Morocco (MINURSO), Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and Israel (UNTSO).
Heritage cautions that although UNIFIL’s closure is set for 2026, efforts may be made by European countries to keep it running longer by persuading U.S. officials to continue support.
“Heritage is glad to see that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio understand that inertia and business as usual are the U.N.’s modus operandi, and Heritage urges America’s leaders to be vigilant against last-minute mission creep,” the statement said.
