World Health Organization (WHO) logo and U.S. flag REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Illustration shows World Health Organization (WHO) logo and U.S. flag
(Washington-DC) The United States has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), marking a significant shift in U.S. global health policy. The decision was announced January 22, 2026, in a joint statement by Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing long-standing concerns over the organization’s performance, governance, and political direction.
According to the statement, the withdrawal follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office. Administration officials pointed to what they described as failures by the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, including delays in information sharing and an institutional culture that prioritized bureaucracy and political considerations over public accountability.
U.S. officials also criticized the WHO for what they characterized as resistance to the withdrawal process itself, including disputes over symbols of U.S. membership and financial obligations. As a result of the decision, all U.S. funding and staffing tied to WHO programs have ceased. Any remaining engagement, the statement said, will be limited solely to completing the withdrawal and protecting domestic public health interests.
The administration emphasized that the move does not signal a retreat from global health leadership. Instead, it plans to pursue a new approach centered on direct partnerships with individual countries and trusted health institutions, focusing on preparedness, disease prevention, and measurable outcomes rather than multilateral bureaucracy.
Officials framed the withdrawal as a corrective step intended to restore accountability and realign U.S. public health efforts with national priorities.
Source:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Joint Statement by Secretary of State Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kennedy on the Termination of U.S. Membership in the World Health Organization, January 22, 2026.
https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/joint-statement-by-secretary-of-state-rubio-and-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-kennedy-on-the-termination-of-us-membership-in-the-world-health-organization-who.html
