President Donald Trump announced Monday he is withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO), a decision seen as a significant move that drew criticism from public health experts on his first day back in the White House.
Trump has long been critical of the United Nations’ health agency, and his administration formally began a withdrawal from the WHO in July 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread.
During his first term, the US issued a similar notice, citing alleged mismanagement during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But four years ago, then-President Joe Biden halted the US’ exit from the body tasked with coordinating the international response to health emergencies in one of his first actions after taking over the White House.
Specifically, Biden, who reengaged with the WHO, initiated the 2024 U.S. Global Health Security Strategy to tackle global infectious disease threats.
…The Executive Order on WHO
The text of Monday’s executive order cites the “organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states,” as reasons for the US withdrawal.
“That’s a big one,” Trump told an aide as he began to sign the executive order, pointing to his 2020 decision and his belief that the US was paying too much money to the organisation compared to other countries.
Trump’s executive action calls on the secretary of state and the director of the Office of Management and Budget to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources” for the WHO. However, it takes a year to fully withdraw from the body, and there is an obligation for the US to continue funding it for a year.
“World Health ripped us off,” he remarked during an address at the White House.
Trump’s new executive order not only halts US funding and support for the WHO but also directs government agencies to identify alternative partners to undertake activities previously managed by the organisation.
The administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s global health strategy “as soon as practicable.”
In 2020, Trump also consistently accused the organisation of aiding China in allegedly covering up the origins of COVID-19 and allowing its spread.
While lawmakers from both parties had, back then in 2020, criticized the WHO when Trump first decided to pull out, many denounced the president’s decision to withdraw during a once-in-a-century global pandemic.
Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the time called it “an act of true senselessness.” And since-retired Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander — then-chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee — said he disagreed with Trump’s decision.
…WHO, experts react
Also in a statement shared on its X account, the WHO expressed regret over the withdrawal and therefore called for constructive dialogue to preserve their decades-long partnership since 1948.
WHO highlighted its pivotal role in protecting global health and security, including within the US, through efforts to tackle disease outbreaks, strengthen health systems, and respond to emergencies in challenging environments.
In its response, the WHO stressed the contributions of the US as a founding member since 1948, citing collaborative achievements such as the eradication of smallpox and near-eradication of polio.
It also highlighted the mutual benefits of the partnership for American institutions.
The WHO said: “With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past seven years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues.”
“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.”
Similarly, Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as White House COVID-19 response coordinator during the Biden administration, called Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO in his second term a “strategic error.”
“WHO is a pretty essential organization — and with America’s withdrawal, it creates a political vacuum that only one country can fill — and that is China,” Jha said in an interview with CNN on Monday.
He predicted that China will step up for the organisation in the absence of US funding and leadership, which could, in turn, “give China more political influence around the world.”
Lawrence Gostin, a public health law professor at Georgetown University, said in a post on X that Trump’s pulling out of the WHO is “the most momentous of all” of Trump’s executive actions Monday.
“It’s a cataclysmic presidential decision. Withdrawal is a grievous wound to world health, but a still deeper wound to the US,” he added.
Jha warned that withdrawing from the WHO weakens the organisation because it relies heavily on US staff and expertise, particularly in tracking global influenza.
“But who’s going to enforce the obligation? Is Donald Trump going to be cowed by global norms around these things?” Jha asked.
Gostin, who is also the O’Neill Chair in Global Health Law at Georgetown Law, said in a later post that the action is “riddled with legal & factual errors.”
“Trump isn’t waiting a year as Congress required. He’s unraveling US engagement & funding now. That’s unlawful & a grave strategic error,” he added.
…On birth right citizenship
Similarly President Trump signed an executive order attempting to end birth right citizenship — a right guaranteed by the US Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court more than 125 years ago.
Trump issued a blitz of executive actions to start reshaping federal immigration and border policy, many of which are expected to face significant legal challenges.
“As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is what I’m going to do,” Trump said in his inaugural address.
CBS News reports that the US government has long interpreted the US Constitution to mean that those born on American soil are citizens at birth, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution says, “All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
But Trump directed federal agencies to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates, and other documents to children born in the US to mothers who are in the country illegally and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents, or to mothers who are temporary visa holders (and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents).
Trump said his edict, which would not apply retroactively, should be enforced in 30 days. But just hours after it was issued, the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups filed a lawsuit challenging the action in federal court.
He also cited extraordinary presidential powers to effectively suspend US asylum law, accusing migrants of staging an “invasion” at the southern border and endangering public health.
He authorised officials to “repel, repatriate, or remove” migrants, suspending their “physical entry” into the US through his constitutional powers. The far-reaching order essentially allows the U.S. government to stop adhering to American asylum law until Mr. Trump issues a “finding that the invasion at the southern border has ceased.” (Premium Times and CNN)
