On January 22, 2026, the United States formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending 77 years of continuous membership that began in 1948. The historic move fulfilled an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, his first day back in office, triggering the legally required one-year withdrawal process under international law.

The decision represents one of the most significant realignments of American public health and foreign policy in modern history. The Trump administration cited the WHO’s catastrophic mishandling of the CoViD-19 pandemic, chronic resistance to reform, lack of institutional transparency, and susceptibility to political pressure, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party. During the notice period, U.S. funding, personnel, and operational participation were systematically withdrawn, with American public health engagement redirected toward direct bilateral partnerships that prioritize accountability, efficiency, and national sovereignty.

Supporters of the withdrawal hailed the decision as a long-overdue correction to decades of unaccountable global governance. Critics warned the move could weaken global disease surveillance and emergency preparedness. However, the administration maintained that real international cooperation must be rooted in transparency, independence, and measurable results, not political expediency and bureaucratic inertia.

The Executive Order That Set the Withdrawal in Motion

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14155, formally initiating the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO. Under the terms of the organization’s constitution, member states are required to provide one year’s notice before withdrawal becomes legally…