HQ Team
January 21, 2025: The US, the World Health Organization’s top donor, has decided to withdraw from the global health body, accusing it of “mishandling” the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order signalling the pullout from WHO and alleged that the organization failed to adopt “urgently needed reforms.”
The US alleged that the WHO could not “demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO Member States.”
The WHO continued to demand “unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments,” according to the Presidential Order.
Comparison with China
China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300% of the population of the United States and contributed about 90% less to the WHO, according to the order.
Donald Trump has been a critic of the WHO since he assumed power in his first term and his administration began to withdraw from the UN health agency in July 2020.
When Joe Biden took over as the president in January 2021, he reversed Trump’s decision. Trump, on the first day of his second term as President, has now gone back to his original decision of withdrawal.
“The United States intends to withdraw from the WHO. The Presidential Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations signed on January 20, 2021, that retracted the United States’ July 6, 2020, notification of withdrawal is revoked.”
Recall US personnel
It has paused the future transfer of any United States government funds, support, or resources to the WHO and will recall and reassign US government personnel or contractors working in any capacity with the WHO.
“While withdrawal is in progress, the Secretary of State will cease negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the amendments to the International Health Regulations, and actions taken to effectuate such agreement and amendments will have no binding force on the United States.”
The World Health Organization “regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization,” according to a statement. “Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO.
“With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues.
“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”
On June 14, 1948, then-US President Harry S Truman signed a joint resolution providing for US membership and participation in the WHO.
“In view of the long history of effective international cooperation in the field of health which spares us the haunting fear of devastating epidemics of cholera and plague, we can look to the World Health Organization with hope and expectation.
“The World Health Organization can help contribute substantially to the attainment of the healthy, vigorous citizenry which the world needs so badly today and tomorrow,” according to a statement on the National Archives website.
Top donor and partner
The United States of America is the top donor and partner to WHO, contributing through assessed contributions and voluntary funding.
The US contributed $1.284 billion during the 2022–2023 biennium, enabling work by WHO, the US and other countries and partners to identify and respond to emergencies, stop disease threats from spreading across borders and advance other key global health priorities, according to the WHO.
As of 2024, experts from the US have supported nearly half of all WHO Joint External Evaluation missions, reaffirming the country’s commitment to global preparedness.
The United States is supporting WHO’s ongoing reforms to enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency, ensuring the organization remains fit to address global health challenges.
Key reforms include budget and management improvements to optimise resource use and drive impactful results.
