Federal agencies confirm the U.S. has ended funding and participation with the WHO, shifting to direct international health cooperation.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, ending a 77-year relationship with the United Nations health agency following an executive action taken by President Donald Trump last year.
The withdrawal was finalized Thursday, one year after Trump signed the executive order initiating the process, according to reporting by Reuters. A joint press release from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and State confirmed that the U.S. will no longer participate in the WHO and will not maintain observer status.
“We have no plans to participate as an observer, and we have no plans of rejoining,” a senior government health official told Reuters. The official said the United States plans to work directly with individual countries on disease surveillance and other public health priorities rather than through an international organization.
In an email cited by Reuters, a State Department spokesperson said, “The American people have paid more than enough.” The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed in a document released Thursday that the federal government has ended its financial contributions to the WHO. An HHS spokesperson said Trump exercised his authority to pause and ultimately halt the transfer of U.S. government resources to the organization, citing long-standing concerns over cost and effectiveness.
Witnesses told Reuters that the U.S. flag was removed from outside the WHO headquarters in Geneva on Thursday, marking the symbolic conclusion of the withdrawal.
Reaction to the decision quickly spread online. In a widely shared post on X, public health commentator Nicolas Hulscher wrote, “BREAKING: The U.S. has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization — leaving the Gates Foundation and GAVI to fill the power vacuum as top funders,” alongside an image, according to the January 22, 2026 post.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly urged the United States to reconsider after Trump signed the withdrawal order last year, according to statements made at the time.
The Trump administration has argued that the WHO failed in its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in its early handling of the outbreak in Wuhan, China, and that the organization relied too heavily on information provided by Chinese authorities. Administration officials have also cited concerns over the scale of U.S. financial contributions and the organization’s policy direction.
The United States was one of the WHO’s largest historical contributors. Trump previously attempted to withdraw from the organization in 2020, but the move was reversed under President Joe Biden, who restored U.S. participation shortly after taking office. The completed withdrawal now marks the first time the United States has formally exited the WHO since joining the agency in 1948.
Federal officials said future U.S. global health efforts will prioritize bilateral cooperation and direct engagement with other nations rather than participation in multinational health governance structures.
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