The United States officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, January 22, 2026, fulfilling an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office in 2025. The State Department justified the exit by citing the WHO’s “systemic failure” to manage global health data, which they claim cost the American economy trillions of dollars. Under US law, the withdrawal required a one-year notice period, which expired this week, though the US has notably refused to pay over $130 million in outstanding membership fees for 2024 and 2025.
The departure has triggered an immediate and severe financial crisis for the UN agency, as Washington was traditionally its largest donor, providing roughly 18% of its total budget. In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the agency is being forced to cut its management team in half and shed approximately 25% of its global staff by mid-2026. Programs related to malaria prevention, polio eradication, and pandemic surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to be the hardest hit by the funding shortfall.
Legal experts, including Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University, have labeled the withdrawal a “violation of US law,” noting that the 1948 joint resolution requiring the settlement of all financial obligations has not been met. However, the Trump administration maintains that the “economic hit” already taken by the US due to WHO policies serves as a sufficient “down payment” on any debt. Despite the formal exit, the WHO expressed a desire to continue technical collaboration, though it remains unclear how data sharing will function without a formal diplomatic framework.
