One year ago, President Trump released an executive order, withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO). The action was completed on January 22, according to a Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement.
The order listed the following reasons for departing from WHO:
- How the COVID-19 pandemic was handled
- The organization declining to “adopt urgently needed reforms”
- WHO’s “inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”
According to HHS, the U.S. has taken the following actions since announcing its withdrawal from WHO:
- Cut WHO funding
- Pulled personnel
- Started “pivoting activities previously conducted with WHO to direct bilateral engagements with other countries and organizations.”
HHS stated that future communications with WHO will be limited. The U.S. will be addressing health “directly with other countries, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and faith-based entities.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio published a joint statement regarding the withdrawal from WHO. They said, “This action responds to the WHO’s failures during the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to rectify the harm from those failures inflicted on the American people. Promises made, promises kept.”
WHO initially expressed disappointment when the order to withdrawal was signed in early 2025. They said, “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, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”
On January 24th, WHO published an updated statement on the matter. They currently deny the United States’ claims regarding the withdrawal. They said, “WHO takes note of statements from the government of the United States that say WHO has “trashed and tarnished” and insulted it, and compromised its independence. The reverse is true. As we do with every Member State, WHO has always sought to engage with the United States in good faith, with full respect for its sovereignty.” They are still disappointed by the U.S. withdrawing, calling it a “a decision that makes both the United States and the world less safe.” WHO has left the door open to the U.S. if they decide to return.
