On his first day back in the White House, Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO).
This is Donald Trump’s second attempt to withdraw from the WHO, following a similar action during his first term. The president has been highly critical of the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its guidance, accusing it of inadequately addressing global health challenges.
The executive order declares: “The United States is withdrawing due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic originating in Wuhan, China, its failure to implement critical reforms, and its lack of independence from undue political influence by WHO member states.”
The U.S. exit would be a major setback for the Geneva-based health agency, which depends on the U.S. to provide 20% of its annual $6.8 billion budget.
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