Donald Trump's choice of ambassador to the United Nations has voiced scepticism about the US funding of the organisation, describing the UN as having a "checkered history" and questioning whether it serves US interests.

Nikki Haley, who will appear before the select committee in Washington on Wednesday, will say that she is not convinced the US was getting value for money from the UN - reiterating comments made by Mr Trump himself.

"Nowhere has the UN's failure been more consistent and more outrageous than in its bias against our close ally Israel," she said in the opening remarks for her appearance, obtained by Reuters.

Mrs Haley is due to speak on Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The US is by far the biggest contributor to the UN budget, funding 22 per cent of the organisation's annual costs and 29 per cent of peacekeeping operations.

Japan contributes the second highest with 9.68 per cent, followed by China (7.921 per cent), Germany (6.389 per cent), France (4.859 per cent) and UK (4.463 per cent) in the top five.

In total, the US spends around $3 billion a year on the New York-based institution.

Mr Trump has long expressed scepticism, but his opposition was cemented by the decision before Christmas to condemn Israel for building settlements - the first time in over 35 years that such a declaration has been made.