World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the reasons cited by the United States for its withdrawal from the global health body “untrue,” warning that the move will make both the U.S. and the world less safe.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, formally initiating the country’s exit from the UN specialized agency.
The United Nations received the official notice two days later, and under the UN charter, the withdrawal takes effect one year after notification.
In a post on the social platform X, Tedros acknowledged the United States’ contributions as a founding member to many of WHO’s achievements. He said the reasons provided for leaving “are untrue” and expressed hope that the United States would return to active participation in WHO in the future.
The WHO also issued a statement on Saturday, voicing regret over the U.S. withdrawal and rejecting accusations made by the Trump administration. The move is expected to be discussed by the WHO Executive Board at its regular meeting starting February 2 and by the World Health Assembly at its annual meeting in May 2026.
A WHO press official told Xinhua that the Secretariat will follow the guidance of its governing bodies in addressing the consequences of the U.S. departure. The official added that the United States has yet to pay its outstanding membership dues for the 2024–2025 biennium, estimated at around 278 million U.S. dollars, according to NPR.
