by Shannon Kelly ’26 on January 29, 2026
News
On Thursday, Jan. 22, the United States officially withdrew from the World Health Organization after 77 years of being a member. This had been discussed by President Donald Trump for over a year now, and on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14155, which officially initiated the U.S.s’ withdrawal from the WHO. The current administration attributed the exit of the U.S. to “profound failures in the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic originating in Wuhan, China; its persistent refusal to implement necessary reforms; and its lack of accountability, transparency, and independence.”
The U.S. was a founding member of the WHO and joined under President Harry Truman on June 14, 1948. The U.S. has also been the largest funder of the WHO throughout history, providing nearly 20 percent of its $3.4 billion annual budget, which has raised significant questions regarding the effects that its withdrawal may have on public health. Today, the U.S. still owes almost $200 million for the years 2024 and 2025. As it stands today, it remains uncertain if this money will be paid. There are mixed reactions regarding what necessitated our current administration’s choice to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO. The director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, Michael Osterholm, described this as “one of the most penny-wise and billion-dollar-foolish moves.”
The WHO spearheads efforts towards expanding universal health coverage around the globe. They are also actively involved in responding to health emergencies and promoting the wellness of all around the world. Their work mainly revolves around responding to crises, chronic diseases, and actively engaging with people around the globe through frontline work.
Ultimately, the U.S.’ exit from the WHO should encourage all of us to question what our national priorities truly are. Judd Walson, chair of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, stated, “People are much more skeptical of the motivations of Americans and American institutions in engaging in global collaboration… It’s harder to say that we are going to work together to resolve problems when people feel we continue to have ulterior, self-serving motives.”
The state of public health in the U.S. is currently facing many challenges, including unfeasible prices, worsening health outcomes, disparities in care, and chronic illnesses experienced by a vast amount of the population. Leaving the WHO poses many fundamental questions, including most principally what we choose to value here in the U.S. or whether or not we deem preparedness for future pandemics, allocating funds towards eradicating chronic disease, and the future of health on a global scale to be worth investing in.