Photo by Eric Bridiers (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

On January 20, 2025, the President of the United States issued an Executive Order announcing the United States’ intent to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Executive Order refers to the United States’ 2020 notification of withdrawal from the WHO due to the organization’s alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, failure to implement reforms, and susceptibility to political influence from member states. That withdrawal was later retracted in January 2021. The new Executive Order revokes the 2021 retraction letter and re-initiates the withdrawal process.

The Order directs several immediate measures. The Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget are instructed to pause future transfers of US government funds, support, or resources to the WHO; to recall and reassign US government personnel or contractors working with the organization; and to identify national and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.

The Order further instructs the Secretary of State to inform the UN Secretary-General, any other relevant depositary, and WHO leadership of the United States’ withdrawal. It also provides that the United States will cease negotiations concerning the proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations while withdrawal is in progress. The Order states that actions taken to implement those instruments will have no binding force on the United States.