The United States’ official exit from the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to be finalized today, Thursday January 22, 2026. The country’s exit comes one year after President Donald Trump issued an executive order informing the organization of his plans to have the U.S. leave the organization.

The decision was originally revealed on President Trump’s inaugural day of his new presidency, when he signed the executive order and told reporters, “World Health ripped us off,” according to NPR.

The United States’ decision to exit from WHO has received criticism, with Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA, president, IDSA, saying, “The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization is a shortsighted and misguided abandonment of our global health commitments. Global cooperation and communication are critical to keep our own citizens protected because germs do not respect borders.”

Other criticisms include the legality of the decision. “This is a clear violation of U.S. law,” said Lawrence Gostin, founding director of the O’Neill Institute for Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, a close observer of the WHO. “But Trump is highly likely to get away with it.”

What are the legal ramifications?

According to U.S. law, in order for the U.S. to leave WHO, the country must provide one year’s notice and pay all outstanding fees before officially departing from the organization, a task the U.S has only half completed as of January 22, 2026.

President Trump’s executive order issued a year ago helps the country achieve the required one year’s notice, yet the country still has outstanding fees totaling $260 million.¹

According to Reuters, the U.S. has yet to pay the fees it owes for both 2024 and 2025, with member states now scheduled to discuss the country’s departure and how to handle it during the WHO’s executive board meeting scheduled to take place in February.¹

Why did the U.S. decided to leave WHO?

A U.S. State Department spokesperson discussed President Trump’s decision to exit WHO, saying the president exercised his authority to pause future transfers of any U.S. government funds, support, or resources to the WHO due to its failure to contain, manage, and share information, costing the U.S. trillions of dollars.¹

According to Reuters, the spokesperson wrote an email, saying, "The American people have paid more than enough to this organization and this economic hit is beyond a down payment on any financial obligations to the organization.”

How does this impact WHO?

The United States’ exit from the organization ignited an internal budgeting crisis resulting in the agency cutting its management team in half, scaling back its work, and cutting budgets across several areas of the organization. This includes plans to relieve a quarter of its staff by the middle of 2026.¹ According to Reuters, Washington was traditionally the agency’s largest finical contributor, accounting for upwards of 18% of its overall funding.¹ 

Since President Trump issued the executive order to leave the agency last year, several global health experts have urged the president to reconsider the decision. This includes the director general of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who told reporters at a press conference earlier this month, “I hope the U.S. will reconsider and rejoin WHO. Withdrawing from the WHO is a loss for the United States, and it’s a loss for the rest of the world.”

According to Reuters, the agency is said to have been working with the U.S., sharing information over the last year with unclear signs of how the partnership will develop moving forward.¹

Sources

1. US set to quit World Health Organization Reuters January 22, 2026 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-set-quit-world-health-organization-2026-01-22/
2. Full Presser: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Speaks on Global Health Issues | AK1G DRM News January 13, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvNttlnteEM
3. Trump Declares U.S. will withdraw from the World Health Organization NPR January 20, 2025 https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/01/20/g-s1-42918/trump-world-health-organization-withdrawal