The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), marking a major shift in global public health cooperation. The decision removes one of the WHO’s largest financial contributors and has sparked concern among health experts worldwide.
US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order signaling the withdrawal a year ago, accusing the UN health agency of being overly “China-centric” during the Covid-19 pandemic. The withdrawal has now been fully implemented by the US government.
The US Department of Health and Human Services said the decision was taken due to the WHO’s alleged mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, its failure to implement meaningful reforms, and what it described as political influence from member states.
In a joint statement, US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the WHO had “abandoned its core mission” and acted against US interests. They also criticised the organisation for symbolic actions, including failing to return the American flag displayed at its Geneva headquarters.
“The WHO tarnished and trashed everything that America has done for it,” the statement said.
The United States has traditionally been one of the WHO’s biggest donors. However, it has not paid its membership fees for 2024 and 2025, leading to significant budget shortfalls and job losses within the organisation.
WHO officials estimate that the US owes around $260 million (£193 million) in unpaid dues. While WHO lawyers argue that the US is legally obligated to pay these arrears, Washington has said it sees no reason to do so.
The US government has also terminated all funding to the WHO, recalled US personnel and contractors from its headquarters in Geneva and other offices worldwide, and suspended or discontinued hundreds of collaborative engagements.
The WHO has strongly rejected the US allegations. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the withdrawal represents a loss not only for the US, but for global health as a whole.
The organisation highlighted its long-standing work in fighting polio, HIV/AIDS, reducing maternal mortality, and enforcing international tobacco control through global treaties. WHO officials also stressed the importance of collective action in preventing and responding to future pandemics.
Following the Covid-19 crisis, WHO member states negotiated an international pandemic treaty aimed at improving preparedness, response mechanisms, and fair sharing of vaccines and medicines. The treaty was agreed in April last year by all member states except the United States.
US officials said the country will pursue bilateral relationships with other nations to ensure disease surveillance and pathogen sharing, but did not specify which countries are currently involved.
When asked about ongoing global efforts against diseases such as polio and HIV, officials said the US would work with non-governmental organisations and faith-based groups, though no specific partnerships were confirmed.
There was also uncertainty about whether the US would continue participating in information sharing and development related to the annual global influenza vaccine.
Public health experts have noted that pandemic responses were flawed in many developed countries, including the US and the UK. Governments were often slow to impose lockdowns, fearing public resistance, which studies later showed contributed to the rapid spread of the virus.
The US recorded one of the highest Covid-19 death rates globally. According to Drew Altman, a former US public health official, this was partly due to inconsistent implementation of WHO guidance on mask-wearing and social distancing.
In a 2020 article for The BMJ, Altman accused the Trump-led federal administration of failing to provide clear national guidance, allowing Covid-19 policies to become highly politicised. Democratic-led states generally enforced mask mandates, while Republican-led states relaxed restrictions and allowed mass gatherings.
A research paper published in the US National Library of Medicine also described the federal response as “slow and mismanaged.”
After President Trump signed the withdrawal order at the start of his second term, the WHO said it hoped the US would reconsider its decision, noting that decades of cooperation between the two had saved countless lives.
The WHO confirmed that the US withdrawal will be discussed at its executive board meeting scheduled from 2 to 7 February. The organisation said it would act according to guidance from its governing bodies.
As the world continues to face the threat of future pandemics, the US exit raises critical questions about global health coordination, funding stability, and the ability of international institutions to respond effectively to shared health crises.
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