The administration of US President-elect Donald Trump is considering announcing the country’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 20, the day of his inauguration, Financial Times reports, citing members of Trump’s team.
A potential US withdrawal from the organization could significantly impact its operations. The WHO stands to lose a substantial portion of its funding, which may undermine its ability to effectively respond to global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, in November, Politico reported that the US exit from the WHO could reduce the organization’s budget by up to a quarter.
In July 2020, during his presidency, Donald Trump initiated the process of withdrawing the US from the WHO, accusing the organization of failing to implement necessary reforms and of covering up the extent of the pandemic to favor China. However, his successor, Joe Biden, reversed this decision on his first day in office in January 2021, reinstating the US as a member of the WHO.
