The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO), ending its membership after months of warnings from health experts that the move could hurt public health in the US and around the world. The decision follows criticism from President Donald Trump, who has blamed the UN health agency for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump had announced the move on the very first day of his new term in 2025, signing an executive order to pull the US out of the WHO.
US says WHO failed during Covid
In a joint statement, the US Health Department and State Department said Washington would now work with the WHO only in a very limited way to complete the withdrawal process. “We have no plans to participate as an observer, and we have no plans of rejoining,” a senior government health official said.
Instead, the US plans to deal directly with other countries on disease tracking, outbreak alerts and public health priorities, rather than working through an international body like the WHO.
Under US law, the country is supposed to give one year’s notice and clear all outstanding payments before leaving the WHO. Those unpaid fees add up to about $260 million. However, a senior State Department official said the law does not clearly say that payment must be made before withdrawal. “The American people have paid more than enough,” a State Department spokesperson said in an email.
The Health and Human Services Department confirmed that all US funding to the WHO has now stopped. A spokesperson said Trump used his authority to pause future payments, arguing that the WHO had cost the US trillions of dollars during the pandemic.
The US has recently begun pulling out of several other United Nations organisations as well. Some observers worry that Trump’s newly launched “Board of Peace” could weaken the UN system as a whole.
WHO warns of serious fallout as US formally exits
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly urged the US to reconsider the decision, warning that the impact would be felt far beyond Washington. “It’s a loss for the United States, and it’s a loss for the rest of the world,” he said.
The WHO confirmed that the loss of US funding would force the agency to make deep cuts. Up to a quarter of its workforce could be laid off in the coming months due to the funding gap.
The US will also lose access to health data shared by the WHO, making it harder for American officials to coordinate responses during major health crises or provide material support when outbreaks occur, CBS reported.
Member countries are expected to discuss the US withdrawal and how to manage the loss of its financial support at an executive meeting scheduled for next month. Health experts say the move could weaken international cooperation at a time when disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent and harder to contain.