The United States will withdraw from the World Health Organization on January 22, 2026, the United Nations said on Thursday, after receiving official notification of US President Donald Trump's decision, who accused the agency of mismanaging the pandemic and other international health crises, UNN writes with reference to Reuters.
I can confirm that we have received the letter from the United States of America withdrawing from the WHO. It is dated January 22, 2025. It will take effect one year from now (...), on January 22, 2026
Details
Trump announced the move on Monday, hours after being sworn in for a second four-year term. On Tuesday, the WHO said it regretted the move by its main donor country.
Trump must give a year's notice of the US withdrawal from the organization and pay Washington's dues in accordance with the 1948 joint resolution of the US Congress.
The United States is the largest financial supporter of the WHO, contributing about 18% of total funding. The latest WHO biennial budget for 2024-2025 was $6.8 billion. It is not yet clear how much the United States owes.
According to several experts inside and outside the WHO, a U.S. withdrawal would likely jeopardize programs across the organization, particularly those aimed at fighting tuberculosis, the world's deadliest infectious disease, as well as HIV/AIDS and other health emergencies.
The withdrawal order signed by Trump states that the administration will suspend negotiations on the WHO pandemic treaty while the withdrawal is in effect. US government employees working with the WHO will be recalled and reassigned, and the government will seek partners to take over the WHO's necessary activities, according to the executive order.
Addendum
Trump's withdrawal from the WHO was not unexpected. He took steps to withdraw from the organization in 2020 during his first term as president. Before the US withdrawal could be finalized last time, Joe Biden won the presidential election and put an end to it on his first day in office on January 20, 2021.
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