Breaking: Trump’s Transition Team Finalizes Plan for WHO—Here’s What Trump Will Do on Day One!
Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly gearing up for a bold move on Inauguration Day: pulling the United States out of the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision, set to be announced on January 20, 2025, aims to sever ties with the global health agency that Trump has criticized as being influenced by China.
The U.S., the WHO’s largest donor, contributed about 16% of its funding in 2022-23. A withdrawal would deal a significant blow to the organization’s ability to respond to global health crises. Lawrence Gostin, a global health law expert, called the move “catastrophic,” warning of its implications for public health worldwide.
Trump’s decision echoes his 2020 attempt to leave the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accused the agency of mismanagement and bias toward China. Although that effort was halted when Joe Biden rejoined the organization in 2021, Trump’s team is intent on making this withdrawal immediate and symbolic, reversing Biden’s actions on the same day he took office.
Ashish Jha, Biden’s former COVID response coordinator, noted that while some in Trump’s camp advocate reforming the WHO from within, the faction pushing for a complete exit is prevailing. This move underscores Trump’s skepticism of global institutions and his focus on reasserting U.S. independence in health policy.
While the WHO remains open to cooperation, with its director-general emphasizing the importance of U.S. leadership in global health, Trump’s transition team has remained tight-lipped. One insider remarked dismissively, “The same WHO that we left in the first administration? It seems like we wouldn’t much care what they have to say.”
The plan marks a defining moment in Trump’s return to the White House, setting the stage for contentious debates on America’s role in international health and diplomacy.
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