America withdraws from the World Health Organization (WHO)

The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO) and has refused to pay the outstanding  membership fees owed to the organization. US health authorities have emphasized that they have no plans to rejoin the WHO and will henceforth work directly with other countries on disease surveillance and other priorities.

The Trump administration has refused to pay these outstanding dues, stating that the World Health Organization has already received more money than necessary.

US President Donald Trump had taken steps to implement this decision on the very first day he was sworn into office in 2025. The US State Department accuses the World Health Organization of failing to prevent and control disease outbreaks and to share information effectively. Although a one-year prior notice and settlement of outstanding dues are standard practice when withdrawing from an international organization, US officials argue that there is no legal condition making payment mandatory before withdrawal.

Due to the withdrawal of the United States, which was the largest donor covering approximately 18% of the WHO's total budget, the organization is facing a severe financial crisis. As a result, the organization's management team has had to be halved, and various activities cut, and the WHO has stated that about a quarter of its workforce will have to be reduced by mid-year. Although legal scholars at Georgetown University pointed out that this decision violates US law, the Trump administration appears to have disregarded these criticisms.

Global health experts, including Bill Gates, point out that the world strongly needs the World Health Organization and that they do not believe the US will return soon. Health experts at Bloomberg Philanthropies have warned that this will harm the systems the world relies on to identify and combat diseases. Furthermore, it is reported that the US President has decided to officially withdraw from 66 other international organizations, including 31 United Nations agencies.