Trump’s Transition Team Eyes Swift WHO Exit, Sparking Global Health Concerns

[Social Media]

 

Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly preparing to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the very first day of his potential new administration. The move, described as “catastrophic” by global health experts, would strip the WHO of its largest financial contributor, potentially crippling its ability to respond to international health crises.  

 

The decision to leave the WHO would coincide with the president-elect’s January 20 inauguration, according to experts briefed on the plans. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health at Georgetown Law, warned of the profound consequences of such an action. “America is going to leave a huge vacuum in global health financing and leadership. I see no one that is going to fill the breach,” he said, adding that the abrupt withdrawal “on day one” would significantly weaken global health systems.  

 

The United States currently provides about 16% of the WHO’s funding, making it the organization’s largest single donor. Without these contributions, the WHO would face severe challenges in addressing public health emergencies such as pandemics, vaccine distribution, and other critical global health issues.  

 

This isn’t the first time Trump has targeted the WHO. In 2020, during his presidency, he initiated a withdrawal process, accusing the organization of being under China’s influence amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the process was never completed, and President Joe Biden reestablished ties with the WHO on his first day in office in 2021.  

 

Ashish Jha, Biden’s former COVID-19 response coordinator and current dean of Brown University’s school of public health, highlighted the symbolic importance of a rapid withdrawal. “The transition team wants Trump to withdraw on the first day because of the ‘symbolism’ of reversing Biden’s own inauguration-day move,” he explained. Jha noted that while some members of Trump’s team advocate reforming the WHO from within, others are determined to sever ties entirely, and this latter faction appears to be prevailing.  

 

Jha emphasized the importance of the WHO in fostering global cooperation during health emergencies, including vaccine development and distribution. “If you’re not engaged in these institutions, you do not have ears to the ground when the next outbreak happens,” he warned.  

 

Gostin echoed these concerns, predicting “very lean years for the WHO where it will struggle to respond to health emergencies and will have to reduce its scientific staff considerably.” He also cautioned that European nations would be unlikely to fill the funding gap, potentially allowing China to exert greater influence within the organization. “It would not be a smart move as withdrawal would cede leadership to China,” he said.  

 

While Trump’s transition team has not officially commented on the proposed withdrawal, a source familiar with the plans dismissed the relevance of the WHO, stating, “The same WHO that we left in the first administration? It seems like we wouldn’t much care what they have to say.”  

 

As the global community awaits further clarity, the prospect of the U.S. abandoning the WHO raises urgent questions about the future of global health cooperation and leadership during a time when robust international collaboration is more critical than ever.

 

Based on a report by Financial Times 2024-12-24

 

 

 

[ukrules]

13 minutes ago, Social Media said:

on the very first day of his potential new administration

 

Potential? There's nothing potential about Jan 20, it's carved in stone.

[mikebike]

10 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

Potential? There's nothing potential about Jan 20, it's carved in stone.

Like 2020? 😂😂

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, mikebike said:

Like 2020? 😂😂

 

Nothing happened in 2020, do you mean January 2021, when also nothing happened apart from President Biden being sworn in as expected.