The United States will leave the World Health Organization on Jan. 22, 2026, the United Nations said on Thursday after being formally informed of the decision by President Donald Trump, who has charged the agency with its handling of the pandemic and other international health crises. have put.
Trump announced the move on Monday, hours after being sworn in for a second four-year term. WHO said on Tuesday that it regretted the move by its top donor country.
Trump will have to give one year’s notice of US withdrawal from the Geneva-based body and pay Washington’s dues under a 1948 joint resolution of the US Congress.
The United States is by far the largest financial supporter of WHO, contributing about 18% of its total funding. WHO’s latest two-year budget, for 2024–2025, was $6.8 billion. It was not immediately clear how much the US owed.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said, “I can confirm that we have now received the US letter on withdrawal from WHO. It is dated 22 January 2025. It will take effect a year from tomorrow, on 22 January 2026 “
According to multiple experts inside and outside WHO, the US departure would put programs across the organization at risk, particularly those dealing with tuberculosis, the world’s largest infectious disease, as well as HIV/AIDS and other health emergencies. .
The withdrawal order signed by Trump states that the administration will stop negotiations on the WHO pandemic treaty as long as the withdrawal continues. According to the order, US government personnel working with WHO will be recalled and reassigned, and the government will seek partners to take over WHO’s essential activities.
Trump’s withdrawal from WHO was not unexpected. He took the step to leave the body in 2020, during his first term as President. The last time the US withdrawal was complete, Joe Biden won the presidential election and put a halt to it on his first day in office on January 20, 2021.
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