WASHINGTON — On his first day back in the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump initiated the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) for a second time in under five years. This move has raised alarms among scientists who warn that such a withdrawal could undo years of progress in combating diseases like AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Experts also express concern that exiting the organization could diminish the global efforts to counter new outbreaks that have the potential to spark pandemics.
During Trump’s first appearance in the Oval Office for his second term, he signed an executive order outlining the steps needed for the withdrawal process. Upon receiving the document to sign, Trump remarked, “Ooh, that’s a big one!” The order calls for a halt on the future release of U.S. government funds to WHO, the recall and reassignment of federal personnel and contractors associated with the agency, and directing officials to seek alternative partners to manage crucial activities that were previously undertaken by WHO.
This isn’t Trump’s initial attempt to cut ties with WHO. Back in July 2020, when WHO had declared COVID-19 a pandemic and cases were surging globally, Trump’s administration formally informed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of its intent to withdraw and subsequently suspended funding to the organization. However, President Joe Biden annulled this decision on his first day in office in January 2021, only for Trump to effectively revive it upon returning to the White House.
So, what role does WHO play, and why does this matter? The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the global response to health threats, including outbreaks of diseases such as mpox, Ebola, and polio. It also offers technical support to lower-income nations, facilitates the distribution of limited vaccines and medical supplies, and establishes guidelines for a wide range of health issues, including mental health and cancer.
Lawrence Gostin, director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Global Health Law at Georgetown University, stated, “A U.S. withdrawal from WHO would make the world far less healthy and safe.” He emphasized that losing American resources could severely damage WHO’s global surveillance and epidemic response capabilities. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark noted that it was not in the U.S. interest to pull out of WHO, particularly with the potential for avian influenza in the region to escalate into a pandemic. She described Trump as “a disruptor,” warning that reduced American funding would significantly impact WHO’s operations.
Can Trump actually withdraw the U.S. from WHO? Yes, provided he gains Congressional approval and fulfills America’s financial obligations to WHO for the current fiscal year. The U.S. became a member of WHO through a 1948 congressional resolution, which all succeeding administrations have upheld. This resolution mandates that the U.S. give a one-year notice should it decide to leave the organization.
The implications for WHO would be dire. The U.S. has historically been one of WHO’s largest donors, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars annually, alongside providing a significant number of personnel with public health expertise. Over the past decade, the U.S. has contributed between $160 million to $815 million each year to WHO, which operates on an annual budget of approximately $2 billion to $3 billion. A withdrawal could severely hinder several global health initiatives, including efforts to eradicate polio, and could stall research into emerging viral threats. U.S. agencies that collaborate with WHO, including the CDC, would also face setbacks as they would be excluded from WHO-coordinated programs, such as flu vaccine formulation and access to crucial genetic databases critical for developing medicines and vaccines.
Trump has stated his reasons for withdrawing from WHO stem from what he claims is the organization’s corruption and its alleged ties to corporate power and China. His executive order cited WHO’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its failure to implement essential reforms, while accusing the agency of lacking independence from political influence by its member states. The WHO faced scrutiny for its handling of COVID-19, notably its initial guidance against mask-wearing and its late acknowledgment of the virus’s airborne transmission.
WHO responded to the announcement with regret, hoping the U.S. would reconsider and expressing a desire to maintain constructive dialogue. In its statement, WHO highlighted the longstanding partnership with the U.S., which has saved countless lives and addressed numerous global health threats over the past seventy years. In 2023, the U.S. accounted for 18% of WHO’s budget, making it the organization’s largest donor, although WHO officials did not comment on the potential impact of the U.S. withdrawal on their operations.
