IPNEWS: On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the United States officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). This move finalized a year-long exit process initiated by President Donald Trump’s executive order on his first day in office, January 20, 2025.
The U.S. membership, governance participation, and all official funding to the WHO officially ended following the required one-year notice period.
The administration cited the WHO’s “profound failures” in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, its refusal to implement reforms, and its perceived lack of independence from political influence.
All U.S. government funding has been terminated, and U.S. personnel and contractors embedded at WHO headquarters in Geneva and offices worldwide have been recalled.
A significant dispute remains regarding outstanding fees. The WHO claims the U.S. owes over $260 million for the 2024-2025 period. While international guidelines typically require all dues to be paid before a withdrawal is official, the U.S. State Department has disputed this obligation, stating the American people have already “paid more than enough”.
The U.S. government intends to lead global health efforts through direct bilateral engagements with other countries and non-governmental organizations rather than through the WHO.
Public health experts have criticized the move as a “grave error,” warning it could hamper international coordination during future pandemics and limit U.S. access to critical epidemiological data and vaccine-related information-sharing.
The loss of the U.S.—historically the organization’s largest donor, providing roughly 18% of its budget—has sparked a financial crisis at the WHO, leading to significant staff cuts and scaled-back operations.
Global Implications
As the WHO’s largest financial contributor (historically providing 12–15% of its budget), the U.S. withdrawal leaves a massive funding gap. This has already forced the agency to scale back work, reduce its management team by half, and prepare for over 2,000 job cuts by mid-2026.
Vital initiatives are being severely impacted, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Programs at risk include:
Efforts to eradicate polio and manage HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis through initiatives like PEPFAR.
Maternal and child health programs and universal health coverage objectives in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
The U.S. exit creates a leadership vacuum. Nations like China, India, Russia, and Saudi Arabia are stepping in to fill the void, potentially shifting global health priorities and standards toward their own strategic interests.
The withdrawal undermines the WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to International Health Regulations, reducing coordinated global responses to future outbreaks.
Domestic (U.S.) Implications
The U.S. no longer has real-time access to the WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), which is critical for matching annual vaccines to circulating flu strains.
American scientists and institutions like the CDC and NIH have lost collaborative opportunities to shape global health research priorities.
Disengagement is seen by many allies as an erosion of U.S. “soft power” and a retreat from multilateralism, potentially straining relationships with nations that prioritize collective health security.
Possible Positive Outcomes for the U.S.
The administration argues that the withdrawal ends “unfairly onerous” payments (approximately 20% of the WHO budget) that were out of proportion to contributions from other nations like China.
Proponents suggest the move avoids ceding sovereignty to international agencies and allows for the redirection of funds to domestic public health priorities.
Some observers believe the U.S. exit may serve as a “wake-up call” that forces the WHO to address long-standing criticisms regarding transparency, efficiency, and perceived political bias.
