The United States is officially scheduled to leave the World Health Organization on Thursday, a move ordered by President Donald Trump that has reignited global concern over public health cooperation and legal compliance. The decision comes despite a US law that requires Washington to settle all outstanding financial obligations, estimated at US$260 million, before completing its withdrawal from the United Nations health agency.
President Trump announced the withdrawal on the first day of his presidency in 2025 through an executive order. Under existing US law, the country must give one year’s notice and clear all unpaid dues before exiting the organization. While the notice period has now elapsed, the required payments have not been made.
A spokesperson for the US State Department said the administration believes the World Health Organization failed to properly contain, manage, and share critical health information, a failure they argue cost the United States trillions of dollars. The spokesperson added that the president exercised his authority to halt future transfers of US government funds, support, or resources to the WHO, stating that American taxpayers have already paid more than enough to the organization.
Global health leaders and experts have repeatedly urged the US to reconsider. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently described the withdrawal as a loss not only for the United States but for the entire world, emphasizing that international cooperation remains essential to tackling global health threats.
The WHO confirmed that the United States has not paid its assessed contributions for 2024 and 2025. Member states are expected to discuss the implications of the US departure at the WHO executive board meeting in February. Legal scholars have also raised alarms, noting that the move appears to violate US law, though they acknowledge that enforcement may be unlikely.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation and a major supporter of global health initiatives, said he does not expect the United States to rejoin the WHO in the near future. While he pledged to advocate for renewed engagement if given the opportunity, he stressed that the world continues to need the World Health Organization.
The US exit has already triggered serious financial strain for the WHO. As its largest contributor, accounting for roughly 18 percent of total funding, Washington’s withdrawal has forced the agency to cut its management team, scale back programs, and plan for significant staff reductions by mid-year. Health experts warn that this disruption could weaken global systems designed to detect, prevent, and respond to future health emergencies, potentially putting both Americans and the wider world at risk.
At its core, this decision is not just about budgets or politics. It affects how quickly diseases are detected, how transparently information is shared, and how nations stand together in moments of crisis. For millions of people worldwide, the consequences will not be measured in policy statements, but in lives, access to care, and the strength of global solidarity when it is needed most.
