By Amaechi Nnanna, with agency reports
President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), criticizing the agency for mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health issues.
He claimed the WHO had been influenced by political pressures from member states and imposed disproportionate financial burdens on the U.S., which he argued was unfair compared to contributions from larger countries like China.
Trump signed an executive order mandating the U.S. withdrawal, effective in 12 months, ending financial contributions to the WHO, of which the U.S. is the largest donor, contributing about 18% of its budget. This decision could jeopardize key health programs, particularly those addressing tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other health crises.
The U.S. will also halt negotiations on the WHO’s pandemic treaty, recall its personnel working with the organization, and explore alternatives for WHO-related activities. The administration plans to review and revise its 2024 Global Health Security Strategy.
The WHO’s second-largest donors include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, the European Commission, and the World Bank, with Germany being the largest national contributor after the U.S.
Trump’s decision echoes previous actions during his first term, when he suspended U.S. contributions, accusing the WHO of supporting China’s misinformation about the origins of COVID-19. The WHO has denied this claim, continuing to press China for transparency.
U.S. law requires a one-year notice for withdrawal, and Biden had reversed Trump’s previous attempt to leave the WHO on his first day in office in 2021.
