Trump announces US withdrawal from World Health Organization

Trump announces US withdrawal from World Health Organization

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). This significant decision drew sharp criticism from health experts and came on his first day back to the White House.

Criticism of the WHO

Trump has long expressed his concerns with the UN health agency. His cabinet had in July 2020 the official withdrawal from the WHO initiated as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to spread. Stopped four years ago then-President Joe Biden the US withdrawal from this organization, which is responsible for coordinating international health crises.

Reasons for withdrawal

The text of the decree signed Monday cited the "poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic originating in Wuhan, China, as well as the failure to enact much-needed reforms and the inability to free itself from undue political influence by WHO member states" as reasons for the U.S. withdrawal.

Trump’s point of view

“This is a big step,” Trump remarked as he began to sign, citing his 2020 decision and his view that the U.S. pays too much money to the organization compared to other countries. In 2020, Trump also repeatedly accused the WHO of assisting China in allegedly covering up the origins of Covid-19 and allowing the virus to spread.

CNN has contacted the WHO for comment.

Criticism from different camps

Although lawmakers from both parties criticized the WHO in 2020 when Trump first decided to withdraw, many condemned the presidential decision while a global pandemic was underway. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the move an “act of utter futility.” Retired Republican Senator Lamar Alexander, who was then chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, also expressed his opposition to Trump's decision.

Dr. Jha warns of the consequences

Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as White House Covid-19 response coordinator during the Biden administration, called Trump's decision to retire in his second term to be withdrawn by the WHO, as a “strategic mistake”. He continued: "The WHO is an extremely essential organization - the US withdrawal creates a political vacuum that only one country can fill - and that is China."

Futures and challenges

Jha fears that China could become active in the organization in the absence of U.S. funding and leadership, which could increasingly lead to greater Chinese political influence on the global stage. Lawrence Gostin, a health law professor at Georgetown University, said in a statement Post on X, that Trump's withdrawal from the WHO was "the most significant of all" his executive actions on Monday.

"It is a disastrous decision by the president. The withdrawal is a serious wound to global health, but even worse for the United States," he added. Jha warned that the withdrawal weakens the WHO because the organization relies heavily on U.S. personnel and expertise, particularly in tracking global influenza cases.

Legal implications

Trump's executive action calls on the secretary of state and the director of the Office of Management and Budget to "pause future transfers of U.S. federal funds, support or resources" to the WHO. However, it takes a year to fully withdraw from the organization and the US is required to continue funding for a year.

"But who will enforce the commitment? Will Donald Trump be intimidated by global norms on these matters?" Jha asked.

Gostin, who also holds the O'Neill Chair in Global Health Law at Georgetown Law, said in a later post, that the measure is “riddled with legal and factual errors.” He noted: "Trump is not waiting a year as Congress mandated. He is withdrawing U.S. commitment and funding now. This is unlawful and a serious strategic mistake."

CNN's reporting in this context is supported by Jack Forrest and Meg Tirrell.