UN Agencies Lament Trump's Day-One WHO Exit Order, Urge Reconsideration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UN agencies respond to U.S. President Donald ’s executive order to end U.S. membership in the World Health Organization (). 

“WHO regrets the announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the Organization. We hope the United States will reconsider,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said as the official UN website reported on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. 

Jasarevic's statement was made hours after Trump signed an executive order at the White House, ending U.S. involvement in the UN agency in 12 months. The U.S. joined WHO in 1948 after both chambers of Congress passed a joint resolution. The resolution required the U.S. to give one year's notice before leaving the organization.

President Trump took steps to withdraw from WHO in 2020 during his first term. Trump's decision was reversed by the Biden administration.

Responding to journalists’ questions in Geneva, Jasarevic emphasized that WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of people around the world, including Americans. WHO addresses the root causes of disease, builds stronger health systems, and detects, prevents, and responds to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, which often occur in dangerous places where others cannot reach.

When asked about the impact of the U.S. withdrawal, Jasarevic said WHO will conduct further analysis on the executive order. He confirmed that the U.S. is WHO's largest single donor, contributing 18 percent of the agency's budget in 2023.

In Geneva, UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke highlighted the importance of the UN health agency. “The world lives longer, healthier, perhaps a little bit happier because of WHO,” he said.

“WHO is in places where others cannot go,” Laerke said. WHO is present in Gaza, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Sudan. “It is an indispensable part of the international humanitarian system,” she said.

Hours after being sworn in as the 47th U.S. president, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of WHO for the second time. As reported by USA Today, the day-one executive order fulfills Trump's campaign promise to reject global institutions. 

Trump criticized WHO for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite his administration facing scrutiny for slow response to the crisis. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, he began the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO.

During the Biden administration, the U.S. continued its role as the largest funder of the agency, which has a budget of US$6.8 billion in the current fiscal year. Nearly one-fifth of the WHO budget in 2023 comes from the U.S.

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