Washington, D.C. —In a significant move, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to initiate the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision comes amid ongoing criticism from Trump regarding the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its perceived bias towards China.
The executive order cites the organization’s mishandling of the pandemic and its failure to implement necessary reforms as key reasons for the withdrawal. Trump stated that the U.S. has been unfairly burdened by payments to the WHO, which is part of the United Nations. He expressed skepticism about the organization’s independence from political influences of its member states.
This marks a continuation of Trump’s earlier attempts to withdraw from the WHO, a process he began during his first term. Public health experts have warned that such a move could have dire consequences for global health efforts, potentially reversing progress made in combating infectious diseases like malaria and tuberculosis.
As Trump prepares to leave office, he has indicated that there may be future discussions regarding U.S. involvement with the WHO, suggesting that they “wanted us back so badly.” The implications of this decision for U.S. public health leadership and global cooperation remain to be seen.