US completes exit from WHO

The United States has officially finished its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, closing the door on a relationship that stretched back decades and making good on a decision announced by President Donald Trump a year ago.

The move was confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of State, which said the decision was driven by deep frustrations with how the WHO handled the Covid-19 pandemic, along with what Washington sees as political interference and a failure to reform.

In a joint statement, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "The WHO tarnished and trashed everything that America has done for it." They added that the organisation had “abandoned its core mission and acted repeatedly against the interests of the United States”.

US officials argue the WHO wasted crucial time at the start of the pandemic by delaying the declaration of a global health emergency and praising China’s response, despite what they say was underreporting and a lack of transparency around the outbreak in Wuhan. They also criticised the agency for downplaying asymptomatic and airborne transmission early on, and for failing to introduce meaningful reforms after the crisis.

As part of the year-long withdrawal process, the US halted all funding to the WHO, pulled out staff and contractors from its offices, and suspended hundreds of collaborative programmes. The administration says future interaction with the WHO will be minimal and limited to finalising the withdrawal.

The exit leaves the UN agency without one of its largest historical donors. Washington has not paid its membership fees for 2024 and 2025, with arrears estimated at more than $260m. While WHO lawyers say the US is still obligated to pay, American officials insist there is no requirement to do so.

The WHO has pushed back strongly against the US position. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision was a loss for both the US and the wider world, pointing to the agency’s work on polio, HIV, maternal health and tobacco control. The organisation has also highlighted a new global pandemic treaty agreed last year by all member states except the US.

Public health experts have also raised concerns. Ronald Nahass, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said: "The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization is a shortsighted and misguided abandonment of our global health commitments. Global cooperation and communication are critical to keep our own citizens protected because germs do not respect borders." He added that leaving the WHO would weaken efforts to track threats like Ebola and seasonal flu.

US officials reject claims that the country will be less safe, saying America will continue global health work through direct partnerships. According to HHS, the department already has more than 2,000 staff working in 63 countries and plans to rely on bilateral agreements, NGOs and faith-based groups for disease surveillance and outbreak response.

The WHO confirmed the US withdrawal will be discussed at its executive board meeting in early February, but for now, the split is final — with no plans from Washington to rejoin or even take part as an observer.