The United States is set to formally withdraw from the World Health Organization on Thursday, a move that has drawn warnings about potential consequences for both domestic and global public health and raised questions about compliance with U.S. law.
President Donald Trump announced the decision to leave the WHO on the first day of his presidency in 2025 through an executive order. Under U.S. law, however, withdrawal requires a one-year notice period and the settlement of all outstanding financial obligations, estimated at about $260 million owed to the UN health agency.
Speaking on Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson accused the WHO of failing to adequately contain, manage, and share critical health information, arguing that these shortcomings had cost the United States trillions of dollars. The spokesperson said the president had exercised his authority to suspend any future transfer of U.S. government funding, support, or resources to the organization.
“The American people have paid more than enough to this organization, and this economic hit is beyond a down payment on any financial obligations to the organization,” the spokesperson said in an email.
