On Monday, President Donald Trump returned to the White House with a bold yet highly debated proclamation: the United States would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). This momentous decision promptly drew severe rebuke from public health experts. Trump's administration, a long-standing critic of the UN health agency, had officially embarked on the withdrawal process in July 2020, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic's global grip. However, a stark contrast emerged four years later when President Joe Biden, in one of his earliest actions upon assuming office, swiftly halted the US's exit from this pivotal institution tasked with coordinating the international health emergency response.
The executive order issued on Monday cited numerous reasons for the withdrawal, including the WHO's "mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its refusal to adopt urgent reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from undue political influence by member states." As Trump signed the executive order, he reiterated his 2020 stance, contending that the US had unfairly borne a disproportionate financial burden compared to other nations. Trump had repeatedly accused the WHO of aiding China in allegedly concealing the origins of COVID-19 and facilitating its spread across borders.
Amidst a chorus of reactions, CNN reached out to the WHO for comment. While lawmakers from both parties had criticized the WHO when Trump first announced the withdrawal in 2020, many decried his move during this unprecedented global crisis. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi labeled it "an act of sheer folly," while the retired Republican Senator Lamar Alexander, then-chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, expressed disagreement with Trump's decision.
Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as the White House COVID-19 response coordinator under Biden, characterized Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO in his second term as a "strategic blunder of monumental proportions." In an interview with CNN, Jha emphasized, "The WHO is a vital lifeline, and America's withdrawal creates a political vacuum that China stands poised to fill." He warned that China could capitalize on this opportunity, bolstering its global political influence, due to the absence of US funding and leadership.
Lawrence Gostin, a professor of public health law at Georgetown University, posted on social media, branding Trump's withdrawal from the WHO as "the most monumental" of all his executive actions that day. He lamented, "This is a catastrophic presidential decision. Withdrawal deals a devastating blow to global health, but an even deeper scar to the US."
Jha further cautioned that the WHO's strength would diminish without US personnel and expertise, particularly in tracking global influenza trends. Trump's executive action instructed the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to halt future transfers of US government funds, support, or resources to the WHO. However, a full withdrawal takes a year, and the US remains committed to funding the WHO for that duration.
"But who will ensure this obligation is upheld? Will Donald Trump succumb to global norms?" Jha questioned. Gostin, who also holds the O'Neill Chair in Global Health Law at Georgetown Law, posted later, noting that the action was "riddled with legal and factual inaccuracies." He added, "Trump isn't adhering to the one-year mandate set by Congress. He's dismantling US engagement and funding now. This is unlawful and a grievous strategic misstep."
