On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order initiating the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision was primarily based on allegations that the WHO mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and was unduly influenced by certain member states, notably China.
The executive order outlines several key actions:
Halting U.S. financial contributions to the WHO, which currently constitute approximately 18% of the organization’s funding.
Recalling U.S. personnel working with the WHO.
Ceasing participation in negotiations related to the WHO pandemic treaty.
Revising the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy to reflect the withdrawal.
This move has raised concerns among global health experts, who fear it could reverse progress in combating diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, and weaken international defenses against future pandemics. The WHO has expressed hope that the U.S. will reconsider its decision, emphasizing the longstanding collaboration between the organization and the United States in promoting global health.
It’s noteworthy that this is the second time the Trump administration has sought to withdraw from the WHO. A similar attempt in 2020 was reversed by President Joe Biden upon taking office in 2021.
