Trump signs order to pull US from World Health Organization

[Social Media]

 

In his executive order calling for the U.S. to withdraw from the WHO, Trump reiterated the same issues he raised in 2020: the WHO’s “mishandling” of the Covid-19 pandemic, “its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

 

He also said the WHO demand an unfair level of payments from the U.S., relative to other nations’ contributions. Tom Bollyky, director of global health for the Council on Foreign Relation, called the move “an enormous mistake,” in an interview ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

 

“Americans have been made less safe by the president’s action today,” said Bollyky. He said the WHO plays “an irreplaceable role” in global outbreak response, and its ability to carry through with that role in future crises will be undermined by the U.S. move.  

 

Bollyky and others hope the move to withdraw may turn out to be a bargaining chip aimed at forcing reform of the WHO — reforms that would rebalance the financial contributions made by member states, institute more transparency in how monies are spent, and put pressure on China to divulge what it knows about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Should the United States follow through on the threat to withdraw, it would mark the first time since the WHO came into being in 1948 that a member state has left the United Nation’s health organization. The WHO’s constitution does not even anticipate such an eventuality; there is no provision in it for countries to revoke their membership in the organization.

 

But the joint resolution of Congress that allowed the U.S. to join the WHO at its founding does spell out the terms by which it can leave. The country must give a one-year notice and pay any outstanding bills before it can quit the organization.

 

Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at the O’Neill Institute, part of  the Georgetown University Law Center, told STAT a U.S. withdrawal from the WHO would be “a grave strategic mistake.”

 

Based on a report by Bloomberg 2025-01-21

 

 

[JonnyF]

Great news.

 

The WHO has proven itself to be a corrupt, inept organization. 

[Digitalbanana]

Expect a surge in bleach prices.

[Chomper Higgot]

Trump the friend is disease.

 

[Hanaguma]

Good. The WHO needs the US (and Uncle Sugar's checkbook) far more than the US needs the WHO. 

[Eric Loh]

34 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Good. The WHO needs the US (and Uncle Sugar's checkbook) far more than the US needs the WHO. 

Nope. US only fund 20% of WHO budget. Didn't affect WHO when he stop funding before. Still have to pay up what US owes in arrears over the years. Will Trump stiff WHO?