The United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially came into effect on Thursday, exactly one year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the country to exit the global health body.
Under WHO rules, member states must give a one-year notice before their withdrawal becomes valid. That notice period expired today, completing the formal process that began shortly after Trump returned to office in 2025.
Although WHO regulations require departing members to clear all outstanding financial obligations, the United States has not fulfilled that requirement. However, the organisation has no legal authority to compel payment or stop a country from leaving.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed disappointment over the development and appealed to the United States to reconsider its decision. He described the withdrawal as a loss both for the US and for global health cooperation.
President Trump had defended the decision by accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and failing to implement key reforms. He also criticised what he described as unfair financial contributions demanded from the United States compared to other countries.
The US exit has created a major funding gap for the WHO, which has reportedly cut its management team by half and scaled down several operations. Historically, the United States contributed about 18 per cent of the organisation’s total funding.
