The US officially departs from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, sparking immediate concerns regarding international safety and domestic law. President Donald Trump initiated this withdrawal through a decisive executive order during his first day in office in 2025.
While the administration moves forward, legal experts argue that the exit violates specific laws requiring Washington to pay outstanding debts. Specifically, the United States currently owes the United Nations health agency approximately $260 million in mandatory membership fees for 2024. Although federal law mandates a one-year notice and full payment before departure, the State Department indicates no intention to pay.
A government spokesperson stated that the agency’s historical failures cost the American economy trillions of dollars during previous global health emergencies. Consequently, the President exercised his executive authority to pause all future transfers of government funds and resources to the organization. “The American people have paid more than enough to this organization already,” the spokesperson confirmed in an official department email.
Financial Strain on Global Health
The departure of the largest financial backer creates a massive budgetary vacuum, as Washington typically provides 18 percent of funding. To manage this shortfall, the health agency already cut its management team in half and reduced overall operational budgets significantly. Furthermore, officials expect to terminate approximately one-quarter of the current global staff by the middle of this upcoming calendar year.
Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the administration to reconsider, calling the decision a loss for the entire global community. Similarly, Bill Gates noted at the Davos summit that he does not expect the United States to return soon. Despite this pessimism, he emphasized that the world requires a centralized health organization to manage emerging threats and prevent pandemics.
Law professor Lawrence Gostin described the move as a clear violation of law, yet he expects the administration to succeed. Meanwhile, health advocates at Bloomberg Philanthropies warn that withdrawing weakens the essential systems we rely on to detect infectious diseases. Because the United States is now isolated, the future of international collaboration on health security remains dangerously and highly uncertain.
