WHO reacts to US withdrawal from agency, wants Trump reconsider action

“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.”

President Donald Trump, on his first day back in the White House, announced the United States’ withdrawal from WHO, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from public health experts.

Trump cited the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, failure to implement reforms and alleged political influence as reasons for the move.

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“That’s a big one,” Trump remarked to an aide while signing the executive order, referencing his 2020 attempt to exit the organisation, which was halted by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Critics, including Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, called the decision a “strategic error,” warning it could bolster China’s influence in global health.

Georgetown’s Lawrence Gostin labelled it “a cataclysmic presidential decision,” claiming it undermines both world health and US leadership.

In China, a foreign ministry spokesman said Beijing would continue supporting the WHO.

“The role of the WHO should only be strengthened, not weakened,” Guo Jiakun said.