Trump has ordered the US to withdraw from World Health Organization

An executive order signed by US President Donald Trump initiates the process of the US leaving the World Health Organization (WHO).

Upon returning to the White House, the newly inaugurated US president announced, “Oooh, that’s a big one,” as he issued his approval. He signed scores of executive orders on his first day in office, including this one.

This is Trump’s second directive to withdraw the United States from the WHO.

During the epidemic, Trump started the process of withdrawing from the Geneva-based organization because he was unhappy with the way the international organization handled COVID-19. Later, that decision was overturned by President Joe Biden.

It’s more probable that the US will formally exit the global agency if this executive action is implemented on day one.

Trump may have hinted that the United States would return when he remarked in the Oval Office, “They wanted us back so badly so we’ll see what happens,” referring to the WHO.

The order stated that the United States was withdrawing “due to the organization’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states” .

According to the executive order, the US’s “unfairly onerous payments” to the United Nations agency WHO were the reason for the withdrawal.

During the first round, Trump criticized the group for being overly “China-centric” in its response to the COVID-19 epidemic while he was still in president.

When the WHO released guidelines during the outbreak, Trump charged that they were biased in favor of China.

The US remained the WHO’s biggest donor throughout the Biden administration, contributing about one-fifth of the organization’s budget in 2023.

The corporation spends $6.8 billion (£5.5 billion) a year.

Trump’s decision to exit the WHO has drawn criticism from public health professionals who fear that the health of Americans may suffer as a result.

The action may undo the gains gained in the battle against infectious illnesses including HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria, according to others.

In the past, Ashish Jha, who was President Biden’s Covid-19 response coordinator, cautioned that quitting would “harm not only the health of people around the world, but also US leadership and scientific prowess.”

“The president made a disastrous choice. According to Georgetown University professor and global public health specialist Lawrence Gostin, withdrawal is a terrible blow to global health but a bigger hurt to the United States.