US set to quit World Health Organization
Source: Reuters
January 22, 2026 9:47 AM EST Updated 8 mins ago
LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. is due to officially exit the World Health Organization on Thursday, in the face of warnings it will hit both U.S. health and global health and also in violation of a U.S. law that requires Washington to pay the U.N. health agency $260 million in fees that it owes.
President Donald Trump gave notice that the U.S. would quit the organization on the first day of his presidency in 2025, via an executive order. Under U.S. law, it has to give one-year notice and pay all outstanding fees before departure.
On Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said the WHO's failure to contain, manage and share information had cost the U.S. trillions of dollars and the president had exercised his authority to pause the future transfer of any U.S. government funds, support, or resources to the WHO. "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," the spokesperson said by email.
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Over the last year, many global health experts have urged a rethink, including most recently WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. I hope the U.S. will reconsider and rejoin WHO, he told reporters at a press conference earlier this month. Withdrawing from the WHO is a lose for the United States, and its a lose for the rest of the world.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-set-quit-world-health-organization-2026-01-22/
LiberalArkie
(19,385 posts)BumRushDaShow
(166,393 posts)WHO publishes their work continually and the many medical societies around the U.S. will just consult with that and any research publications as needed. They have already dismissed CDC and states are setting up their own consortiums.
LiberalArkie
(19,385 posts)BumRushDaShow
(166,393 posts)???
WHO publishes their data as well as has meetings/conferences/calls and streamed meetings, etc. So unless the U.S. completely shuts down the internet and phone systems, their data would be accessible.
LiberalArkie
(19,385 posts)or even deny a EU vaccine US access.
I just remember back when the US Army researchers at Wuhan found it they were fired by the US and removed.
The reichmarshall hoped it would do what they wanted, but we survived. I am pessimistic about everything. I am too old now..
dem4decades
(13,781 posts)thought too
wolfie001
(7,236 posts)What a farcical tragedy. Complete imbeciles.
Hey Joe
(454 posts)That is the grand plan the oligarchs have for America and the world at large.
They will keep enough people alive to operate the machinery and do the grunt work.
Bayard
(28,805 posts)How in the world does the imbecile think WHO hasn't shared info?
fujiyamasan
(1,326 posts)This is his chance.
Initech
(107,702 posts)Fuck every single person who says "this is what I voted for!". Well, you voted for a shitty asshole and his cabinet full of James Bond villains. You voted to destroy this country from within. Fuck you and may you rot in hell.