The US withdrawal from the WHO and its international consequences

The USA withdrawal from the WHO is changing the financial and political conditions for international health cooperation, and leading to structural adjustments within the organisation.

The US withdrawal from the WHO and the global implications

In February 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) faces what is probably its greatest test since its foundation in 1948. With the withdrawal of the United States on 22 January 2026, it not only lost its most important financial backer, but also found itself in a structural and political crisis. The withdrawal, which was initiated in January 2025 by an executive order from President Donald Trump, represents a break with the understanding of global health as a collective responsibility. The US government justifies its decision with criticism of the WHO's management of COVID-19, scepticism about its independence, and a desire to focus more on bilateral partnerships in the future.1, 2, 3

COVID-19 criticism and loss of trust

The withdrawal reflects growing scepticism in the US towards multilateral organisations. The State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cited mistakes made by the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, the political influence of individual member states, particularly China, and an insufficient capacity for reform as the main reasons for the withdrawal. The US government criticises the WHO for declaring the international health emergency and the pandemic too late and for delaying recognition of key scientific findings. Washington is particularly critical of the WHO's handling of China. Despite earlier indications of information withholding, China was granted support.

Determining the origin of the virus is also seen as a test of resilience. The US criticises the WHO report for largely ruling out the possibility of a laboratory accident, even though relevant data was not fully available. This has further weakened confidence in the organisation's scientific independence and permanently damaged its credibility on the international stage.1, 2

Inability to reform and strategic realignment

The US government describes the WHO as too bureaucratic and resistant to reform. Its withdrawal is therefore presented as an attempt to take responsibility towards its own taxpayers and to implement global health initiatives outside of multilateral structures in future. Table 1 below provides an overview of the US's financial contributions to the WHO and its current outstanding payments.

Table 1: Financial indicators for the US investment (average values from 2025)1, 6, 5, 4

Average annual contribution of the USA
Assessed Contributions ~111 million USD  
Voluntary Contributions ~570 million USD 
Total US funding (2022-2023) ~1,284 billion USD
Share of the WHO core budget   ~22 %
Outstanding payments (as of January 2026) ~278 million USD  

Legal limbo

The withdrawal process took a year and is controversial under international law. Despite a 1948 congressional resolution linking withdrawal to the fulfilment of financial obligations, the US has not yet paid its outstanding membership fees. Washington considers the process to be complete, while the WHO speaks of a legal limbo that effectively amounts to temporary absence.1, 3

Systemic consequences for the WHO

The WHO had to make extensive cuts due to the loss of its largest contributor. The budget for 2026–2027 was reduced by over 20%. To stabilise the situation, member states approved a 20% increase in mandatory contributions to secure the share of reliable core funding in the long term. At the structural level, departments were merged and significant staff reductions were initiated. In future, the WHO will focus on fundamental activities such as standard setting, standardisation and outbreak surveillance. 7, 8, 9, 10

Impact on Member States and programmes

The withdrawal of the US means that the WHO is losing access to crucial expertise, particularly from US health organisations such as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The end of American experts' participation in advisory bodies significantly weakens the organisation's scientific authority. Numerous WHO programmes, most of which were funded by the US, are now threatened with cutbacks or closure. The impact is particularly noticeable in surveillance and early warning systems for infectious diseases, as their weakening makes it more difficult to detect new outbreaks at an early stage. Even global initiatives such as the eradication of polio and programmes to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are under pressure. The funding cuts are creating gaps in care, especially in low-income countries. 11,12

Sources and References:
  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fact Sheet: U.S. Withdrawal from the World Health Organization. HHS Press Room. 2025 Jan 22. URL: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/fact-sheet-us-withdrawal-from-the-world-health-organization.html
  2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. United States completes WHO withdrawal. HHS Press Room. 2026 Jan 22. URL: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/united-states-completes-who-withdrawal.html
  3. European AIDS Treatment Group. Euronews: The United States has officially left WHO, ending a year of controversial health reforms. EATG HIV News. 2026 Jan 23. URL: https://www.eatg.org/hiv-news/euronews-the-united-states-has-officially-left-who-ending-a-year-of-controversial-health-reforms/
  4. Garrido M, Kulikov A. Member states to discuss US withdrawal from WHO as failure to pay fees violates agreement. Health Policy Watch. 2025 May 15. URL: https://healthpolicy-watch.news/member-states-to-discuss-us-withdrawal-from-who-as-failure-to-pay-fees-violates-agreement/
  5. Congressional Research Service. U.S. Withdrawal from the World Health Organization. CRS Reports (In Focus). 2024 Jun 21. Report No.: IN12496. URL: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12496
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12664966/
  7. The US-WHO split: implications for global health governance. BMJ. 2025;389:r1066. doi: 10.1136/bmj.r1066. URL: https://www.bmj.com/content/389/bmj.r1066
  8. World Health Organization. In historic move, WHO member states approve 20% funding increase and 2026-27 budget. WHO News. 2025 May 20. URL: https://www.who.int/news/item/20-05-2025-in-historic-move--who-member-states-approve-20--funding-increase-and-2026-27-budget
  9. Morrison SJ. The Future of the WHO and How the United States Can Shape It. CSIS Analysis. 2024. URL: https://www.csis.org/analysis/future-who-and-how-united-states-can-shape-it
  10. Health Policy Watch. Nations approve WHO membership fee increase as US exit squeezes budget. 2025 May 22. URL: https://healthpolicy-watch.news/nations-approve-who-membership-fee-increase-as-us-exit-squeezes-budget/
  11. Ducharme J. U.S. Withdrawal From WHO: What It Means for World Health. TIME. 2025 Jan 23. URL: https://time.com/7357180/us-withdrawal-who-world-health-organization/
  12. World Health Organization. Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of resolutions proposed for adoption by the Executive Board. 158th Session of the Executive Board. 2025. Document No.: EB158/45. URL: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB158/B158_45-en.pdf