The United States officially announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, as confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services. This decision stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in 2025. The move raises concerns about its potential impact on international health cooperation and the multimillion-dollar dues Washington owes the organization. Trump reactivates the process initiated during his first term. On January 20, 2025, the same day he returned to the White House, Trump signed the executive order formally initiating the United States' withdrawal from the WHO, the United Nations' specialized health agency. This is a process the president had already attempted during his first term (2017-2021), amidst harsh criticism of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the document, the president reiterated his position that the WHO mishandled the global health crisis and questioned its performance in “other global health emergencies,” in addition to accusing it of failing to promote internal reforms and lacking independence from the political influence of some member states, in a direct allusion to China. The debate over quotas and the financial weight of the US. One of the main arguments of the US government is the imbalance in the financial contributions system. According to Health Department officials, the United States has contributed up to 25% of the WHO's total budget, even though other countries with larger populations, such as China, contribute proportionally less. A senior official emphasized that the organization has never had a US director-general and that, on occasion, the WHO itself has refrained from demanding larger contributions from other countries due to the heavy financial burden already borne by Washington. “There are numerous examples, both recent and historical, of the WHO's shortcomings. The central point is that we paid them, we trusted them, and they failed us, without taking any responsibility,” the official stated.

Health Cooperation Without the WHO

Given concerns about the impact of the withdrawal on the global response to future pandemics, the Trump administration assured that the United States will continue to collaborate directly with other countries and their health ministries.

“We will continue to develop bilateral relationships that are mutually beneficial and that respect the sovereignty of our country and that of other nations,” an official spokesperson stated.

The Legal Basis for Withdrawal and Unpaid Dues

When the WHO was created in 1948, the United States joined through a joint resolution of Congress that, unlike other member states, granted it the explicit right to withdraw from the organization. According to another US official, the resolution does not stipulate that the country must settle outstanding payments as a condition for its withdrawal. In that regard, the Trump administration reiterated that it has no intention of paying the installments corresponding to the 2024-2025 period, the amount of which is estimated at between $260 and $280 million.