Former President Donald Trump, returning to the White House for a second term, announced Monday that the United States is withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO). The decision, made via executive order, drew immediate criticism from public health experts and global health advocates.
Trump cited the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged political bias as primary reasons for the withdrawal. The executive order pointed to the organization’s “failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, its mishandling of the pandemic originating in Wuhan, China, and its inability to demonstrate independence from inappropriate political influence.”
“This is a big one,” Trump said while signing the executive order, referencing his 2020 attempt to withdraw from the organization. That decision was reversed in 2021 by then-President Joe Biden, who restored U.S. membership as one of his first acts in office.
Critics have warned of severe global implications. Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response coordinator, called the move a “strategic error” and predicted that China would step in to fill the leadership and funding vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal.
Trump has long been critical of the WHO, accusing it of aiding China in allegedly covering up the origins of COVID-19. His 2020 attempt to withdraw drew bipartisan backlash, with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi denouncing it as “an act of true senselessness” and Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander expressing his disagreement.
The executive order halts the transfer of U.S. funds and resources to the WHO. However, under international agreements, a full withdrawal requires a year’s notice and continued funding during that time. Critics argue that Trump’s immediate freeze on funding violates these obligations.
“Trump isn’t waiting a year as Congress required,” Gostin said in a subsequent post. “He’s unraveling U.S. engagement and funding now. That’s unlawful and a grave strategic error.”
The WHO relies heavily on U.S. funding and expertise, particularly for tracking global health threats like influenza. Experts warn that the withdrawal weakens both the organization and the United States’ global health leadership.