As a founding member of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States of America has contributed significantly to many of WHO’s greatest achievements.
WHO therefore regrets the United States’ notification of withdrawal from WHO. The notification of withdrawal raises issues that will be considered by the WHO Executive Board at its regular meeting starting on 2 February and by the World Health Assembly at its annual meeting in May 2026.
We hope that in the future, the United States will return to active participation in WHO.
Earlier, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of State on January 22 announced the United States’ completion of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a joint statement on the termination of U.S. membership in the WHO.
President Trump on January 20, 2025, announced the U.S. plan to leave the WHO. During the yearlong process, the U.S. stopped funding WHO, withdrew all personnel from WHO, and began pivoting activities previously conducted with WHO to direct bilateral engagements with other countries and organizations.
Tuvalu is the latest member country to join WHO in 2023. However, with the United States being the only nation to withdraw from the WHO.
WHO is being funded by the United States with 65.16 million US dollars while China gives $43.79 million.
Japan donates $23.06 million, Germany allocates $17.54 million and the United Kingdom contributes $12.56 million.
