President Trump took swift action on Monday to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization. This move has been criticized by public health experts who believe it will weaken the nation’s role as a global health leader and hinder efforts to combat future pandemics.
In an executive order issued shortly after he assumed office, Mr. Trump listed several reasons for the withdrawal, including the W.H.O.’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and their failure to make necessary reforms. He also criticized the agency for demanding excessive payments from the United States while China pays less.
This decision did not come as a surprise, as Mr. Trump has been critical of the W.H.O. since 2020 and had previously threatened to withhold funding from the organization. Although he initiated steps to withdraw in July 2020, this move was blocked by former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on his first day in office on January 20, 2021.
Exiting the W.H.O. would mean that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would lose access to valuable global data provided by the agency. When China shared the genetic sequence of the coronavirus with the W.H.O. in 2020, this information was then disseminated to other countries.
Most recently, the W.H.O. has been criticized by conservatives for its work on a pandemic treaty aimed at enhancing pandemic preparedness and implementing binding policies for member countries. Talks on this treaty stalled last year, with some Republican lawmakers viewing it as a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
Public health law expert Lawrence O. Gostin, who was involved in negotiating the treaty, stated that a U.S. withdrawal from the W.H.O. would not only harm public health but also undermine American national interests and security.
Established in 1948 with U.S. support, the World Health Organization is a United Nations agency dedicated to addressing major health challenges and improving global well-being.
This includes providing aid to conflict zones like Gaza and monitoring outbreaks of diseases such as Zika, Ebola, and COVID-19. The W.H.O.’s annual budget is around $6.8 billion, with the United States historically contributing a significant portion.
According to Mr. Gostin, the U.S. withdrawal process will take time due to Congress’s resolution at the agency’s inception, which mandates a year’s notice and payment of financial obligations for the current fiscal year.