01/22/2026, 07:1401/22/2026, 07:14
A year ago, US President Donald Trump ordered to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of his first official acts. According to an agreement between the USA and the WHO, the withdrawal will take effect one year after the termination is submitted – i.e. today. Theoretically, one of the conditions for leaving stated in the agreement has not been met at all. The USA should have paid its previous contributions in full, which did not happen. But the WHO has no recourse to claim the money or refuse to leave.
Last year Argentina also withdrew from the WHO.Image: keystone
“I hope that the USA will reconsider its decision and rejoin the WHO,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus again in Geneva. There are only losers: “The exit is a loss for the USA and also a loss for the rest of the world.” Among other things, the WHO has early warning systems for outbreaks of potentially dangerous diseases. She also coordinates the composition of the flu vaccines for the coming season, after analyzing the pathogens circulating worldwide. The USA no longer takes part in either. The rest of the world has to do without important American expertise.
Trump accused the WHO of, among other things, failure in the corona pandemic and a lack of reform. In his opinion, the WHO also bowed to political pressure from China. This week he called the organization corrupt. Argentina also announced its withdrawal last year.
After Trump took office, the USA paid neither the outstanding membership fees for 2024 nor for 2025, a total of around 280 million dollars (around 240 million euros). The Foreign Ministry did not comment on this when asked. It told the US broadcaster NPR Woche last week that there would be no further money. The US taxpayers would have already had too high costs from the corona pandemic because of the WHO’s failure.
The USA had already had too high costs due to the WHO during the Covid pandemic.Image: keystone
The USA was by far the largest contributor for years. They always voluntarily paid a multiple of the set membership fee and often covered more than 15 percent of the budget.
Out of necessity, the WHO launched a strict austerity program. The number of employees will shrink by around a fifth to around 7,300 by the middle of the year, compared to the beginning of 2025. The budget was cut to a similar extent. “But the US withdrawal is not about money,” said Tedros. “It’s about cooperation and solidarity.” (sda/dpa)
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