NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 — The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the government to begin leaving the UN agency on his first day back in office.
The withdrawal process was initiated on January 20, 2025, via a presidential order that cited alleged failures in the WHO’s handling of COVID-19, a lack of reforms, and concerns about political influence within the organization. US officials subsequently transmitted a formal notification consistent with the WHO’s rules requiring one year’s notice, making the US exit effective this week.
Public health experts and global health observers say the decision may leave the United States at a disadvantage in future health emergencies by reducing access to coordinated disease surveillance, shared technical standards, and rapid global information exchange.
“I think that this weakens America’s influence in global politics, global policy, and global health,” said Dr. Omer Awan, a University of Maryland School of Medicine professor, arguing that the WHO’s coordinating role in outbreak detection and response should be reinforced rather than abandoned. Awan warned that reduced participation in global data-sharing and standard-setting could translate into slower situational awareness during fast-moving outbreaks, leaving the US “less prepared” for pandemics.
The separation is also complicated financially and operationally. CIDRAP and other outlets reported that the WHO says the US has unpaid assessed contributions and that the agency contends withdrawal is not fully “complete” until arrears are settled—an issue that could continue to shape technical cooperation and diplomatic engagement.
International-health specialists note that, regardless of US participation, the WHO will continue to convene member states, issue guidance, and coordinate emergency networks—meaning Washington’s departure primarily reduces US leverage over global health priorities rather than stopping multilateral action.
Early signals of adaptation are already emerging domestically. On Friday, Reuters reported that California announced it would join the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) independently, framing the move as a way to sustain cross-border outbreak coordination despite federal withdrawal.
Critics argue the policy shift risks isolating the US in the governance architecture that often shapes pandemic preparedness—while supporters maintain it reasserts sovereignty and redirects resources into bilateral and domestic channels.
