The United States has officially walked away from the World Health Organization, completing a withdrawal that President Donald Trump promised when he began his second term. The exit centers on what the administration calls the WHO's botched handling of COVID-19 and a political agenda that doesn't match up with American priorities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a joint statement confirming the move. The statement pointed out that despite the US founding the WHO and being its largest financial supporter, the organization has allegedly pursued political goals that run counter to American interests.
Money and Personnel Cut Off
The State Department made it official on Thursday: all US funding and staffing for WHO programs has stopped. Going forward, American engagement with the organization will be strictly limited to managing the withdrawal process and protecting the health and safety of US citizens.
Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Jim O'Neill took to X to lay out the administration's case. He said the WHO "ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist" and "ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns." O'Neill made it clear the US plans to continue coordinating on infectious diseases internationally, just without what he called "the Eurocrats in Geneva."
Déjà Vu All Over Again
This isn't the first time Trump has tried to pull the US out of the WHO. Back in 2025, he initiated a similar withdrawal citing concerns about governance and financial practices. Joe Biden reversed that decision when he took office, bringing the US back into the fold. This time around, the exit appears final.
