US withdraws from WHO, citing mishandling of COVID-19 and failure to implement reforms; White House pledges continued global health engagement

The United States has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO), citing the body’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and failure to enact necessary reforms, the White House announced on Thursday.

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In a joint statement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of State said the withdrawal was prompted by “the organisation’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the U.S. would “coordinate with WHO solely in a limited fashion to effectuate withdrawal.”

The process began on January 20, 2025, when President Donald Trump first announced plans to leave the organisation. Over the past year, the U.S. halted funding, withdrew personnel, and redirected activities previously conducted with WHO to direct engagements with other countries and organisations.

The White House criticised WHO for delaying the declaration of a global public health emergency during the early stages of COVID-19, claiming this delay cost the world critical weeks as the virus spread.

The statement further accused the WHO leadership of praising China’s response despite evidence of early underreporting, suppression of information, and delays in confirming human-to-human transmission.

WHO was also faulted for downplaying asymptomatic transmission risks, failing to promptly acknowledge airborne spread, and not implementing post-pandemic reforms.

The U.S. highlighted WHO’s report on the origins of COVID-19, which rejected lab-creation theories despite China withholding genetic sequences and information about Wuhan laboratories.

The organisation stated that the U.S. had not paid membership fees for 2024 and 2025, totalling approximately $260 million. While member states will discuss the departure during the executive board meeting in February, WHO has no mechanism to prevent the exit.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus expressed regret, saying, “I hope that the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin WHO. Withdrawal is a loss for the US and also a loss for the rest of the world… It was not about money but about cooperation and solidarity.”

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The White House affirmed that the U.S. will continue its global health leadership through partnerships with other countries, private sector actors, non-governmental organisations, and faith-based groups, focusing on emergency response, biosecurity, and health innovation both domestically and internationally.