London, Jan 23: The United States on Thursday officially withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending its membership after a year-long notice period and despite repeated warnings that the move could harm public health in the U.S. and worldwide. Washington said the decision stemmed from what it described as failures by the UN health agency in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump had issued an executive order on the first day of his second presidency in 2025, formally notifying the WHO of the U.S. intent to quit. According to a joint statement from the U.S. Departments of Health and State, the U.S. will maintain only limited engagement with the WHO to facilitate the withdrawal and has no plans to rejoin or participate even as an observer.
U.S. officials said Washington will now work directly with individual countries on disease surveillance and public health priorities rather than through multilateral institutions.
The withdrawal has triggered a dispute over unpaid U.S. dues, estimated at about $260 million. While U.S. law requires a one-year notice period and settlement of outstanding contributions, the State Department argued that payment is not a legal precondition for exit. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that all U.S. funding to the WHO has been halted.
The U.S. flag was removed from outside WHO headquarters in Geneva on Thursday. The move comes amid a broader U.S. pullback from several UN bodies, raising concerns among observers about the future of multilateral institutions.
The WHO said the U.S. has not yet paid its 2024 and 2025 dues, and member states will discuss the withdrawal at an executive board meeting in February. Global health experts warned the exit could weaken international disease response systems. The loss of U.S. funding—nearly 18% of WHO’s budget—has already forced staff cuts and program reductions.
Bill Gates said he does not expect the U.S. to rejoin soon but stressed that “the world needs the World Health Organization.”
