Washington: The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization, marking a major shift in its global health policy and ending nearly eight decades of membership in the UN health agency.
The decision follows an executive order signed at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in January 2025. After a one year notice period, the withdrawal became effective on January 22, 2026, according to U.S. officials and international health sources.
The U.S. government said the move was driven by long standing concerns about how the WHO handled major global health crises and claimed the organization failed to act independently and effectively. Washington has stated that it will now pursue direct health partnerships with individual countries instead of working through the WHO.
The exit has serious financial implications for the organization. The United States had been the WHO’s largest single contributor, providing about 18 percent of its overall funding. Health officials say the withdrawal leaves a significant budget gap, forcing the WHO to consider staff reductions and cuts to public health programmes.
There is also disagreement over unpaid U.S. contributions. The WHO has said the United States still owes hundreds of millions of dollars in outstanding dues from previous years. American officials have not confirmed whether those payments will be made, adding to legal and diplomatic uncertainty around the withdrawal.
Global health experts and international leaders have expressed concern over the move. They warn that the absence of the United States could weaken disease surveillance systems, delay responses to future pandemics and disrupt coordination on vaccines and emergency health responses.
The WHO leadership said it regrets the U.S. decision and stressed that global health threats require cooperation rather than isolation. Public health groups have also warned that the United States itself may lose access to critical international health data and early warning systems.
The withdrawal marks the first time a country has left the World Health Organization since it was founded in 1948. As the WHO adjusts to the loss of funding and influence, questions remain about how global health cooperation will function without one of its most powerful members.