unite nations nine former u.s. ambassadors unite nations warn congress letter tuesday slash fund world body would weaken washington global influence cede agenda countries hostile interest ambassadors andrew young donald mchenry thomas pickering edward perkins madeleine albright bill richardson john negroponte susan rice samantha power serve republican democratic presidents reuters trump 's concession wall fund remove obstacle spend talk state prosecutors urge trump withdraw paris accord cut fund u.n. ... damage u.s. national security position world albright tell reporters power prominently china russia everything fill leadership gap letter urge congress avoid drastically cut u.n. fund give current u.s. ambassador nikki haley u.n. secretary-general antonio guterres time space reform world body make efficient effective responsive unite state big u.n. contributor pay 22 percent 5.4 billion core budget 28.5 percent 7.9 billion peacekeeping budget assess contributions agree 193-member u.n. general assembly trump say u.s. share budget unfair propose unspecified reduction fund unite nations agencies well enforcement 25 percent cap u.s. fund peacekeeping operations u.n diplomats also voice concern could fill u.s. cash void argument make u.s. inadvertently create china first policy rather u.s first policy walk away leave space say senior u.n. diplomat speak condition anonymity trump tell u.n. security council ambassadors monday lunch white house world body reform operate u.s. investment would worth great job care much less budget talk peanuts compare important work trump tell 15 council envoys u.n. secretary-general guterres meet briefly trump white house friday first time since take office early year state department say month end fund u.n. population fund unfpa u.n. agency focus family plan well maternal child health 150 countries guterres warn cut could devastate effect former u.s. envoys u.n. warn congress cut fund