In 2020, President Donald Trump made the bold decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), claiming that the organization had been taking advantage of the U.S. and had “ripped off” the country. As the largest funder of the WHO, the U.S. plays a significant role in supporting the organization’s efforts to monitor disease outbreaks worldwide and contribute to global health initiatives. This includes critical partnerships with CDC and NIH on cancer prevention, global health security, and tackling infectious diseases like HIV and AIDS.
Trump’s executive order, which he signed shortly before leaving office in January 2021, was part of his broader foreign policy strategy, which had already led to the U.S. pulling out of several international agreements and organizations. The WHO, he argued, demanded onerous payments from the U.S., far greater than other nations, and he pointed out the stark inequality between U.S. contributions and those from countries like China. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, paid much less into the WHO than the U.S., despite its much larger population. In Trump’s view, this was a clear example of the U.S. being taken advantage of by international organizations. His statement was blunt: “Everybody rips off the United States and that’s it – it’s not going to happen anymore.”
According to Trump, the WHO had been unfair in its financial expectations, and he framed the U.S. withdrawal as a way of protecting the country from being unfairly burdened. He argued that the U.S. had been contributing far more to the organization compared to other nations, such as China, despite its significantly smaller population. This, he claimed, was an example of an unfair financial demand from the WHO.
However, Trump’s decision was controversial and faced considerable backlash. Many experts, including Lawrence Gostin, a professor of law and global health at George Washington University, warned that withdrawing from the WHO would be catastrophic for global health and would hurt the U.S. as well. Gostin pointed out that the U.S. is the largest financial supporter of the WHO, and without that support, the organization would struggle to maintain its global reach and effectiveness. The WHO’s global health surveillance and collaborative research efforts have been instrumental in tackling major health issues worldwide, from responding to pandemics to eradicating diseases like Polio.
Gostin also emphasized the importance of international collaboration, especially on issues like disease prevention, research, and global health emergencies. He warned that abandoning the WHO would isolate the U.S. from the vital partnerships and information-sharing that help the country and the world stay ahead of health crises. The WHO offers the U.S. vital insight into global health systems, and without it, the U.S. would be less equipped to respond to emerging health threats, ultimately making the nation less safe and less secure.
When President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he swiftly reversed Trump’s decision and rejoined the WHO. Biden’s action was consistent with his broader approach to restoring America’s international relationships and global leadership, particularly in areas of health, climate change, and international diplomacy. Biden recognized the importance of global cooperation in fighting health challenges like COVID-19, and he made it clear that the U.S. would once again play a leading role in addressing pandemics and supporting global health efforts.
Despite Biden’s efforts to reengage with the WHO, Trump’s withdrawal remains a symbol of the broader political divide that defined his administration. Critics argued that Trump’s decision to leave the WHO was a politically motivated move to assert American independence and criticize international institutions, while supporters of the WHO warned that pulling out would undermine the U.S.’s leadership in global health.
In the years following, the U.S.’s withdrawal from the WHO could have significant repercussions, particularly for countries that depend on American funding and leadership in addressing global health crises. By cutting ties with the WHO, the U.S. would be leaving a major void in global health governance, as the organization has been crucial in responding to past health emergencies, such as HIV, Ebola, and COVID-19. Gostin called Trump’s withdrawal a “cataclysmic presidential decision,” warning that it would leave a “grievous wound” on world health, but a deeper wound on the U.S.’s own security and influence on the global stage.
Ultimately, the decision to withdraw and the subsequent reversal under Biden highlighted the importance of global health organizations in maintaining international cooperation and public health security. In the fight against pandemics and the promotion of global health, the U.S. has much to lose when it turns its back on institutions like the WHO that serve as a unifying force in addressing health challenges worldwide.
