U.S. Completes Its WHO Withdrawal

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/119549...

Published: Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:53:26 -0500

The United States officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, one year after President Donald Trump's decision[1][6]. The US was a member of the WHO for 78 years and was its largest financial contributor[4]. President Trump justified the move by the WHO's alleged mistakes during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]. The withdrawal became effective after the expiration of the mandatory one-year notice period, which began on January 20, 2025[2][4]. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the departure of the US is a loss for the United States and for the whole world, especially in the field of international cooperation and health security[2][3]. At the same time, the US has not paid its membership dues for the years 2024 and 2025 in the total amount of approximately 280 million dollars[3][4]. Federal officials have announced that the US has no plans to return to the organization or participate in it as an observer[1].