United States Confirms Withdrawal From WHO After Criticism of COVID-19 Response
- The United States confirmed its withdrawal from the World Health Organisation, citing failures in handling COVID-19
- White House officials said the move fulfilled President Trump’s pledge made under an executive order one year earlier
- The decision marked a major shift in global health leadership, with America pledging to pursue direct partnerships instead
The United States officially exited the World Health Organisation (WHO), a move that the White House said fulfilled President Donald Trump’s commitment under an executive order signed one year earlier.
Officials stated that the decision followed what they described as WHO’s mishandling of COVID-19 and its ongoing lack of reform, accountability, and transparency.
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Statement from US departments of health and state
In a joint announcement, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of State confirmed the completion of the withdrawal.
The statement read:
“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of State today 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 the joint statement, noting that President Trump had announced the plan to leave the WHO on January 20, 2025.
US completes yearlong WHO withdrawal process
Officials reported that during the yearlong process, the United States stopped funding WHO, withdrew all personnel, and redirected activities previously conducted with the organisation to direct bilateral engagements with other countries and organisations.
They added that future coordination with WHO would be limited and solely to finalise the withdrawal.
US criticises WHO’s COVID-19 response
The statement criticised WHO’s handling of the early stages of the pandemic, saying the organisation delayed declaring a global public health emergency and a pandemic, which cost the world critical weeks as the virus spread. It was noted that WHO leadership praised China’s response despite evidence of under-reporting, suppression of information, and delays in confirming human-to-human transmission.
Officials further said that WHO downplayed asymptomatic transmission risks and failed to promptly acknowledge airborne spread. After the pandemic, the organisation reportedly did not adopt meaningful reforms to address political influence, governance weaknesses, or poor coordination, which they argued eroded global trust.
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US global health leadership
The statement also highlighted America’s role in global health, saying:
“The U.S. is the world’s leading force in protecting public health, saving lives, and responding rapidly to infectious disease outbreaks. Going forward, the U.S. government will continue its global health leadership through existing and new engagements directly with other countries, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and faith-based entities.”
Officials said US-led efforts would prioritise emergency response, biosecurity coordination, and health innovation, with a focus on protecting America first while delivering benefits to partners worldwide.
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US under Trump withdraws from 66 organisations
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States announced its withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a move that drew sharp criticism from climate experts and former officials.
According to Reuters, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 7 suspending U.S. support for dozens of agencies and commissions, many of them linked to the United Nations.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
