After 80 years, the US walks away from WHO and the director general says they are sacrificing the one thing they need to survive

After nearly 80 years of being a cornerstone member, the U.S. has officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), as per The Hill. This is a massive shift in global health policy, and the leadership at the WHO isn’t holding back on their feelings about it.

WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the decision a “lose-lose” situation, not just for the U.S., but for the entire world. “It’s not really the right decision, I want to say bluntly, because I believe that there are many things that are done through WHO that benefits the U.S., and only the WHO does, and especially the health security issues,” Dr. Ghebreyesus stated. He summarized his alarm simply: “That’s why I say the U.S. cannot be safe without working with the WHO.”

President Trump initiated the formal removal process on the very first day of his second term in office. This wasn’t his first attempt to pull the country out of the international body, as he tried to do the same thing during his first presidential term. But the timing is more ironic now that we see measles outbreak in some states. Also, this isn’t the first international alliance or body that Trump is actively trying to get rid of.

Hopefully, both sides can continue dialogue for the benefit of global health security, which is something we all desperately need

The president issued an executive order citing the organization’s alleged “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic” and its response to “other global health crises.” He also complained that the payments made by the U.S. were “unfairly onerous.” Since the WHO is funded through a combination of voluntary donations and mandatory dues based on a member nation’s wealth and population, the U.S. has historically been the largest contributor.

The executive order didn’t just stop the process; it directed the immediate cessation of all U.S. funds to the organization. It also ordered American contractors working for the WHO to be reassigned, while the administration sought out other global health organizations the U.S. could join instead. The financial aspect of this withdrawal is where things get really messy.

When the U.S. Congress approved membership back in 1948, under the Truman administration, lawmakers included a joint resolution stipulating that the U.S. had the right to withdraw, but only after providing one-year notice. The Trump administration followed this notice requirement. The 1948 legislation also mandated that the U.S. must have fulfilled all of its “financial obligations” to the WHO.

The State Department confirmed that the U.S. “will not be making any payments to the WHO before our withdrawal.” They justified this refusal by saying, “The cost born by the U.S. taxpayer and U.S. economy after the WHO’s failure during the Covid pandemic, and since, has been too high as it is.”

For its part, the WHO stated it “regrets the announcement,” noting the U.S. has been a key partner and a founding member since the beginning. The organization pointed out that the U.S.’s participation has been crucial in helping the WHO implement the largest set of reforms in its history over the past seven years, aiming to improve its accountability and cost-effectiveness.

“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO,” the organization stated. Interestingly, even as the U.S. withdrawal is now official, the WHO still maintains a note on its website indicating that the U.S.’s notification of withdrawal is “pending consideration” by its governing bodies.