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America quits the WHO after 77 years

America quits the WHO after 77 years

Rule Changes
By Newzino Staff | |

The world's largest economy exits the global health agency it helped build, leaving $278 million unpaid and a quarter of WHO staff facing layoffs. As the WHO Executive Board convenes to address the withdrawal, other nations face pressure to follow.

January 23rd, 2026: Rubio and Kennedy Announce Withdrawal Complete

Overview

The United States joined the World Health Organization on June 14, 1948, three years after helping design it. On January 22, 2026, the U.S. became the first country to complete a withdrawal from the agency—walking away from 77 years of leadership in global health. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. jointly announced the withdrawal's completion, citing the WHO's 'failures during the COVID-19 pandemic' and its inability to demonstrate independence from 'inappropriate political influence.' The U.S. departed without paying between $130 million and $278 million in disputed dues, with the administration asserting no obligation to pay prior to exit.

The departure strips the WHO of its largest funder (18% of the budget), triggers the layoff of roughly a quarter of the agency's workforce by mid-2026, and cuts American access to the disease surveillance networks that inform U.S. vaccine development. With CDC staffing down 25%, USAID shut down, and the White House pandemic office largely empty, the U.S. exits its primary window into emerging infectious diseases at the moment its domestic health infrastructure is most diminished. Bill Gates, whose foundation is now WHO's largest non-governmental funder, told Reuters at Davos he does not expect the U.S. to rejoin 'in the near future' but pledged to continue advocating for re-engagement.

Key Indicators

77
Years of US Membership
The U.S. was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and served as its largest funder for decades
$130-278M
Unpaid Dues (Disputed)
WHO claims $278M owed for 2024-2025; U.S. State Department acknowledges $130M but denies obligation to pay
18%
WHO Budget from US
Share of WHO's total funding that came from U.S. assessed and voluntary contributions
25%
WHO Staff Cuts
Proportion of WHO workforce expected to be laid off by mid-2026 following U.S. exit

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People Involved

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States (Serving second term; initiated withdrawal on first day in office)
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General, World Health Organization (Leading WHO through budget crisis; term runs through 2027)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Secretary of Health and Human Services (Leading HHS; overseeing health agency restructuring)
Lawrence O. Gostin
Lawrence O. Gostin
Director, WHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law (Leading academic critic of withdrawal; attempted to broker rapprochement)
Bill Gates
Bill Gates
Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Major global health philanthropist; critical of aid cuts)
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio
Secretary of State (Serving in Trump's second-term cabinet; co-announced WHO withdrawal completion)
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Governor of California (Leading state-level WHO engagement independent of federal withdrawal)

Organizations Involved

World Health Organization (WHO)
World Health Organization (WHO)
International Organization
Status: Lost largest national funder; implementing 25% workforce reduction; secured 75% of 2026-2027 budget from remaining members with 20% fee increase

The UN's global health coordinating body, with 194 member states (now 193), responsible for disease surveillance, outbreak response, and setting international health standards.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Federal Agency
Status: Lost 25% of staff in 2025; facing proposed 53% budget cut for FY2026

America's primary public health agency, responsible for disease surveillance, outbreak response, and health guidance.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Former U.S. Federal Agency
Status: Officially shut down July 1, 2025; merged into State Department

The former U.S. foreign assistance agency, responsible for humanitarian aid and development programs worldwide.

Timeline

  1. Rubio and Kennedy Announce Withdrawal Complete

    Political

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issue joint statement declaring the U.S. withdrawal from WHO complete, citing the agency's 'failures during the COVID-19 pandemic' and political influence from hostile nations.

  2. Gates Says U.S. Won't Rejoin 'In the Near Future'

    Political

    Speaking at Davos, Bill Gates tells Reuters he does not expect the U.S. to reconsider WHO membership in the short term, but pledges to continue advocating for rejoining, stating 'The world needs the World Health Organization.'

  3. U.S. Officially Exits WHO

    Legal

    One year after formal notice, the U.S. withdrawal takes effect. The U.S. leaves without paying $278 million in assessed contributions for 2024-2025.

  4. U.S. Withdraws from 66 International Organizations

    Policy

    Trump signs executive order withdrawing from 66 additional international bodies, extending the retreat from multilateral institutions.

  5. USAID Officially Shuts Down

    Institutional

    The 64-year-old foreign aid agency ceases operations; 97% of staff laid off, remaining functions merged into State Department.

  6. WHO Pandemic Treaty Adopted Without U.S.

    International

    After three years of negotiations, WHO's 193 remaining member states adopt the new pandemic treaty; the U.S., previously a key negotiator, is excluded.

  7. China Pledges $500M to WHO

    Financial

    At the World Health Assembly, China commits $500 million in voluntary contributions over five years, positioning itself to become WHO's largest national contributor.

  8. RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary

    Political

    Senate confirms Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 52-48 to lead HHS, with Mitch McConnell the sole Republican voting no.

  9. Argentina Announces WHO Withdrawal

    International

    President Milei announces Argentina will also withdraw from WHO, citing 'deep differences' over COVID-19 management.

  10. WHO Receives Formal Notice

    Legal

    WHO acknowledges receipt of withdrawal notice, starting the one-year departure timeline required by U.S. law.

  11. Trump Signs Second Withdrawal Order

    Legal

    Hours after inauguration, Trump signs Executive Order 14155 directing withdrawal from WHO, halting all funding transfers, and recalling U.S. personnel.

  12. Biden Reverses Withdrawal

    Policy

    On his first day in office, Biden signs executive order halting withdrawal and restoring U.S. funding to WHO.

  13. First Withdrawal Notice Submitted

    Legal

    Trump administration formally notifies UN Secretary-General of intent to withdraw, starting one-year clock.

  14. Trump Halts WHO Funding During COVID

    Policy

    Trump announces freeze on U.S. contributions to WHO, accusing the agency of mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic and favoring China.

  15. U.S. Joins WHO as Founding Member

    Establishment

    President Truman signs joint resolution making the U.S. a founding member of the World Health Organization, reserving the unique right to withdraw.

Scenarios

1

U.S. Remains Outside WHO for Duration of Trump Term

Discussed by: Georgetown's Lawrence Gostin; Brown University's Beth Cameron; Foreign Affairs analysts

With no legal challenge filed and no congressional movement to block the withdrawal, the U.S. remains outside WHO through at least January 2029. China expands its influence as WHO's largest national contributor. The U.S. loses access to WHO surveillance networks and relies on bilateral agreements that experts say cannot replicate multilateral intelligence-sharing. A future administration could rejoin, as Biden did in 2021, but would need to pay accumulated dues and rebuild relationships.

2

Disease Outbreak Forces Emergency Re-Engagement

Discussed by: Jeremy Konyndyk (Refugees International); Nikki Romanik (Brown University); public health researchers

A novel pathogen emerges—potentially from the avian influenza strains already circulating in U.S. livestock—and spreads internationally. Without WHO membership, the U.S. receives delayed intelligence and faces barriers accessing internationally coordinated vaccine development. Domestic pressure forces emergency bilateral arrangements with WHO or ad-hoc participation in outbreak response, but without the institutional relationships built over decades.

3

WHO Member States Challenge Withdrawal Over Unpaid Dues

Discussed by: Legal scholars; WHO governance experts; Congressional Research Service

At the February 2026 Executive Board meeting or May World Health Assembly, member states formally dispute whether the U.S. withdrawal is valid given the unpaid $278 million. While U.S. law requires dues payment before departure, WHO's constitution lacks explicit withdrawal provisions. Member states could maintain the U.S. as technically a member in arrears, creating legal ambiguity but no practical change in U.S. participation.

4

Other Nations Follow U.S. and Argentina

Discussed by: European policy analysts; Health Policy Watch; Euronews

Hungary's Viktor Orbán and Italian right-wing politicians have publicly considered following the U.S. out of WHO. If additional withdrawals materialize, the agency faces compounding budget crises and potential institutional breakdown. However, most nations lack the special withdrawal provision the U.S. negotiated in 1948, making their exits legally complicated under the Vienna Convention's one-year notice requirement.

Historical Context

U.S. Withdrawal from UNESCO (1984-2003)

December 1984 – October 2003

What Happened

The Reagan administration withdrew from UNESCO in 1984, citing mismanagement, politicization, and perceived Soviet influence. The UK and Singapore followed. The U.S. remained outside for 19 years, during which UNESCO reformed its governance and the organization continued without its largest funder.

Outcome

Short Term

UNESCO lost approximately 25% of its budget. The organization scaled back programs but continued operating.

Long Term

The U.S. rejoined under George W. Bush in 2003, finding a reformed organization. Trump withdrew again in 2017; the U.S. rejoined under Biden in 2023, then withdrew once more in 2025.

Why It's Relevant Today

Demonstrates that U.S. withdrawal from international organizations can span decades and that agencies can survive without U.S. funding—but also that re-entry is possible when administrations change.

U.S. Rejection of the League of Nations (1919-1920)

November 1919 – March 1920

What Happened

Despite President Wilson's central role in designing the League of Nations, the Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, blocking U.S. membership. Isolationist senators argued the League would entangle the U.S. in foreign conflicts.

Outcome

Short Term

The League launched in 1920 without its intended leader. The U.S. never joined.

Long Term

The League's inability to prevent World War II is partly attributed to U.S. absence. After 1945, the U.S. helped design the UN to avoid repeating the failure—including WHO.

Why It's Relevant Today

Illustrates how U.S. retreat from multilateral institutions it helped create can undermine those institutions' effectiveness and, ultimately, American interests.

WHO Response to 2014 Ebola Outbreak

March 2014 – June 2016

What Happened

Ebola spread across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, killing over 11,000 people. WHO faced criticism for slow initial response. The U.S. deployed 3,000 military personnel to West Africa and contributed over $2.4 billion to the response, ultimately playing a decisive role in containing the outbreak.

Outcome

Short Term

The outbreak was contained after 28 months. U.S. leadership was credited as essential to the response.

Long Term

WHO reformed its emergency response systems, creating the Health Emergencies Programme. The episode demonstrated U.S. capacity to mobilize global health responses.

Why It's Relevant Today

Shows what U.S. engagement with WHO accomplished—and what capabilities the U.S. is now stepping away from at a time when CDC is facing its own staffing cuts.

23 Sources:
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NPR STAT News Fox Business Health Policy Watch White House KFF The Conversation Think Global Health Al Jazeera Fortune CNN Congressional Research Service U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The Hill Euronews NBC News TIME STAT News NPR NPR Al Jazeera Fortune