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The decision to exit the WHO was made by President Donald Trump on the first day of his second term. As stated in the U.S. Constitution, the final exit requires notifying the organization a year in advance and fully meeting financial obligations, the agency reports.
The exit procedure was completed on Thursday, January 22, resulting in the cessation of U.S. funding to the WHO, and staff were withdrawn from all offices and the headquarters. However, Bloomberg reports that the United States' debt to the organization remains unpaid.
In a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy criticized the WHO, accusing the organization of demanding compensation. They emphasized that the United States remained a "founder, largest financial sponsor, and defender" of the WHO.
Trump justified his exit from the organization by citing the WHO's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as accusing the organization of lacking independence from the political influence of member states and that U.S. financial contributions exceeded those of other countries.
According to NPR, the United States' debt for the years 2024-2025 amounts to $278 million.
