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US Completes Withdrawal from World Health Organization, Leaving $278 Million Debt
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The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move finalized one year after the Trump governance first signaled its intention too leave the global health agency. The withdrawal is complex by an outstanding debt of $278 million in unpaid membership dues for 2024 and 2025, with the WHO stating the exit is not complete until full payment is received.
The decision marks a significant departure from decades of US involvement in global health initiatives.At the time the withdrawal was initially announced, the United States contributed approximately 20% of the WHO’s operational budget. Though, officials at the WHO recently confirmed the US has not fulfilled its financial obligations for the current and upcoming years.
“the United States will not be making any payments to the WHO before our withdrawal,” a State Department spokesperson told NPR earlier this week. The statement further asserted that the financial burden on US taxpayers and the economy resulting from the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been ample.
This withdrawal is unprecedented in the WHO’s history, founded in 1948. Former President Donald Trump publicly criticized the WHO during his inauguration, alleging the agency had “gouged” the United States and accusing it of covering up China’s role in the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump initially attempted to leave the organization during his first term, but President Joe Biden reversed that decision upon taking office in 2020. According to WHO bylaws, nations must provide one year’s notice and settle all outstanding debts before a withdrawal can be finalized.
Impact on Global Health Security
the move has drawn criticism from public health experts,who warn of potential consequences for global health security. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) released a statement today, characterizing the withdrawal as “shortsighted” and warning it will jeopardize virus surveillance efforts.
“By withdrawing from WHO, the U.S. will no longer participate in the Global Influenza surveillance and Response System, the vital platform for monitoring flu cases and sharing data and viral samples used to develop yearly flu vaccines,” explained IDSA president Ronald G. Nahass, MD, in the statement. “This will severely hamper efforts to match vaccines to circulating strains of flu.” He further emphasized the importance of international tracking in addressing emerging threats like Ebola and managing ongoing outbreaks.
Concerns Over US Foreign Aid and Global Health Strategy
Beyond the impact on disease surveillance, concerns have been raised about the broader implications of the US withdrawal for global health aid. Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) criticized the Trump administration’s broader pattern of withdrawing foreign aid from various agencies over the past year.
The organization also expressed skepticism about the “America First global Health” program unveiled by the White House in September 2025, arguing it inadequately addresses critical areas such as sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and non-communicable diseases.
MSF further highlighted the transactional nature of the America First strategy.”The claim that these agreements advance national ownership rings hollow when, at the same time, you have State Department officials openly telling countries that global health assistance is contingent on their willingness to strike a minerals deal with the US,” said Mihir Mankad, MPA, MBA, global health advocacy and policy director at MSF USA.
The US withdrawal from the WHO signals a potential shift in the nation’s approach to global health, prioritizing national interests over multilateral cooperation and raising questions about the
