The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO), ending a 78-year association with the global health body. The decision follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, initiating the withdrawal process on his first day back in office, and comes exactly a year after the move was first announced.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr confirmed that all American funding and staffing support for WHO initiatives has ceased. They said future US engagement with the organisation would be limited strictly to completing the withdrawal process and safeguarding the health and safety of the American people.

The statement sharply criticised the WHO, calling its structure “bloated and inefficient,” and accused it of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the US, the organisation failed to ensure timely and transparent information-sharing, actions the administration claims could have saved American lives during the global health crisis.

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Washington also accused the WHO of abandoning its core mission and acting against US interests despite America being a founding member and its largest financial contributor. The statement alleged that the organisation pursued a politicised agenda influenced by nations hostile to US interests, while concealing its own failures under the guise of public health concerns.

The US further claimed it is owed respect for its historical role, criticising the WHO for refusing to return the American flag displayed at its headquarters and for demanding compensation. The administration said it brings an end to what it described as entrenched bureaucracy, conflicts of interest, and international politics that have rendered the organisation “beyond repair.”

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded earlier this month by calling the US withdrawal a loss for both America and global health security. Experts warn the exit could disproportionately affect developing nations, particularly in Africa, which rely heavily on WHO support for vaccines, technical assistance, and disease surveillance, while raising concerns about reduced global preparedness for future pandemics.

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