London: The United States will formally withdraw from the World Health Organization on Thursday, marking the end of its decades-long membership.
President Donald Trump issued notice of the withdrawal on the first day of his new term in 2025 through an executive order. US legislation requires Washington to give a one-year notice and settle all outstanding financial obligations before exiting the United Nations health agency. Those conditions have not been met.
The US State Department said the administration had decided to halt future funding and cooperation with the WHO, accusing the agency of failing to contain, manage, and share critical health information in past crises. Officials argued that US financial contributions had already far exceeded the value received, and that further payments were unjustified.
Global health leaders have repeatedly urged the administration to reconsider, warning that the decision would leave the United States more exposed to emerging health threats. The WHO has confirmed that the U.S. has not paid its membership fees for 2024 and 2025, amounting to roughly 260 million dollars. The issue is expected to be discussed at the WHO executive board meeting in February.
Legal experts say the withdrawal violates domestic law but acknowledge that enforcement is unlikely. Observers note that previous attempts to challenge similar actions have failed to gain traction.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates said he did not expect the US to reverse course in the near term, despite the growing concerns from the global health community.
For the WHO, the loss of its largest donor has triggered a severe budget crisis. The agency has already reduced its senior management team by half and cut programmes across departments. It is expected to shed about a quarter of its workforce by mid-year. The US has historically provided around 18 percent of the WHO’s total funding.
