
Faith Nyasuguta
President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will officially withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing its mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. The decision, revealed on Monday, marks a bold move as Trump begins his second term in office.
Trump accused the WHO of bowing to political influences from certain member states and criticized the organization’s funding structure, claiming the U.S. was shouldering an unfair financial burden compared to other nations like China. “World Health ripped us off, just like everyone else does. It’s not going to happen anymore,” Trump stated during the signing of the executive order that formalized the withdrawal.
A Controversial Decision
The U.S. exit from the WHO will take effect in 12 months and includes halting all financial contributions to the agency. As the largest donor to the WHO, the U.S. has historically provided around 18% of its funding. The organization’s most recent budget for 2024-2025 stands at $6.8 billion, raising concerns about the impact of the U.S. departure on global health initiatives.

Experts warn that the decision could jeopardize critical WHO programs, including efforts to combat tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other global health emergencies. The withdrawal also halts U.S. participation in the ongoing pandemic treaty negotiations, with government personnel being reassigned to other roles.
The move has drawn international reactions. China, through Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, urged support for the WHO, emphasizing that its role in global health governance should be strengthened, not weakened.
Trump’s Longstanding Criticism of the WHO
Trump’s decision to leave the WHO is consistent with his earlier criticisms. During his first term in 2020, he accused the organization of aiding China in concealing the origins of COVID-19. The WHO has denied these allegations and has continued pressing China for transparency regarding the virus’s origins, whether from animal-to-human transmission or potential lab research.
In 2020, Trump suspended U.S. contributions to the agency, cutting nearly $200 million from its budget as the world grappled with the most severe health crisis in a century. The U.S. withdrawal, however, was halted by President Joe Biden, who reversed the decision on his first day in office in January 2021.

The U.S. withdrawal poses challenges for the WHO’s operations and funding. While the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other entities like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, remain significant contributors, their funding is often earmarked for specific initiatives such as polio eradication. Germany, the next largest national donor, provides only 3% of the WHO’s budget, leaving a substantial funding gap.
Trump’s executive order also includes plans to review and replace the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy, signaling a shift in the country’s approach to global health partnerships.
The WHO’s response to the U.S. decision has been muted so far, with no immediate comment. However, many experts and global leaders have expressed concern over the potential consequences of reduced cooperation during ongoing health crises.
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