
On January 20, 2025, former President Donald Trump announced the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing dissatisfaction with the agency’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. He accused the WHO of succumbing to undue political influence from member states and criticized its reliance on disproportionately high financial contributions from the U.S.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. would no longer tolerate being “ripped off,” highlighting what he described as unfair funding practices. The U.S., which has been the largest donor to the WHO, contributes about 18% of its total budget. The organization’s latest two-year budget for 2024-2025 is estimated at $6.8 billion.
The move will take effect in 12 months, halting U.S. financial contributions to the UN health body. Trump’s stance is not new—he had initiated similar actions during his first term in 2020, accusing the WHO of aiding China in obscuring the origins of COVID-19.
While the WHO denies these allegations, it continues urging China to release critical data to determine whether the virus stemmed from animal contact or research in a laboratory.
This decision underscores ongoing tensions between the U.S. and international organizations over funding and accountability.