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President Trump has signed an executive order officially pulling the United States out of the World Health Organization.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations tasked with addressing global health challenges, advancing public health, and coordinating responses to international health emergencies. The United States was a founding member and has traditionally been the largest financial supporter of the World Health Organization, contributing approximately $1.28 billion in 2023—about 20% of the organization’s total budget. WHO has faced sharp criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic for alleged delays in declaring a global health emergency, insufficient pressure on China for transparency regarding the virus’s origins, and accusations of political bias, sparking calls for reform and scrutiny of its operations.

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What’s going on now: In an announcement, President Trump confirmed that the United States would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), issuing an executive order that outlined his administration’s reasons for the decision. Trump criticized the Organization for its “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic,” claiming WHO failed to adopt “urgently needed reforms” and accusing it of being unduly influenced by China. He stated, “The WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments,” adding that China, despite having “300 percent of the population of the United States,” contributes “nearly 90 percent less” to the Organization.

Trump’s executive order revoked Biden’s 2021 decision to remain in the WHO and directed US officials to identify alternative global health partners, halt funding to the Organization, and reassign US personnel involved in WHO projects. Additionally, Trump reiterated long-standing frustrations with the WHO’s handling of COVID-19, which he had previously described as “very China-centric,” accusing the Organization of ignoring early warning signs of the pandemic and failing to hold China accountable for its lack of transparency.

WHO reacts: In a statement released by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, he said, “The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go.” He added, “For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO…. We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”

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