U.S. Withdraws from World Health Organization

The United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organization on Thursday, marking the first time the country has left the global health body since becoming a founding member in 1948. The decision, announced in a joint statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ends decades of U.S. leadership and funding in the Geneva-based agency, citing its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived misalignment with American interests.

The withdrawal process began on January 20, 2025, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in his second term, initiating a one-year notice period required under a 1948 congressional resolution. That measure also stipulated settling financial obligations before departure, but U.S. officials confirmed all funding has ceased immediately, along with the recall of American staff and suspension of participation in WHO committees and initiatives. The State Department stated that future engagement would be limited to completing the exit and protecting U.S. public health.

U.S. officials pointed to the WHO's alleged failures during the COVID-19 pandemic as the...