The World Health Organization has expressed deep regret following the formal notification by the United States of its intention to withdraw from the global health body. As a founding member of the organization, the United States has historically contributed significantly to many of the WHO’s most monumental achievements in global public health. These collaborative efforts span decades and include the historic eradication of smallpox, alongside critical advancements against a wide array of persistent public health threats such as polio, HIV, Ebola, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety standards.
The notification of withdrawal raises critical procedural and operational issues that will be formally considered by the WHO Executive Board at its upcoming regular meeting, which is scheduled to start on February 2, as well as by the broader World Health Assembly during its annual meeting in May 2026. In addressing the diplomatic development, the organization noted official statements from the government of the United States alleging that the WHO has "trashed and tarnished" and insulted the nation, while also compromising its institutional independence. The organization firmly pushed back against these assertions, stating that the reverse is true. Emphasizing its standard diplomatic and operational approach, the WHO stressed that, just as it does with every other Member State, it has always sought to engage with the United States in good faith, maintaining full and consistent respect for its national sovereignty.
Among the primary justifications cited by the United States for its decision to withdraw are alleged "WHO failures during the COVID-19 pandemic." Specifically, Washington pointed to accusations that the organization obstructed the timely and accurate sharing of critical epidemiological information and subsequently attempted to conceal those failures. While acknowledging that no single organization or government managed every aspect of the unprecedented global health crisis flawlessly, the WHO stands firmly by its comprehensive response to the pandemic. Throughout the unfolding emergency, the agency maintains that it acted rapidly, shared all available data with the international community with speed and transparency, and advised Member States strictly on the basis of the best available scientific evidence.
The organization highlighted that while it recommended the use of preventative measures such as masks, vaccines, and physical distancing based on scientific guidance, it never at any stage recommended universal mask mandates, vaccine mandates, or sweeping societal lockdowns. Instead, the WHO framed its role as supporting sovereign governments so they could make the specific policy decisions they believed were in the absolute best interests of their populations, emphasizing that the final authority and execution of those decisions always rested with national authorities.
Providing a detailed timeline of its early actions, the WHO recalled that immediately after receiving the first reports detailing a cluster of cases of "pneumonia of unknown cause" in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019, it formally asked Chinese authorities for more information and simultaneously activated its emergency incident management system. By the time the first official death was reported from China on January 11, 2020, the organization had already alerted the global community through formal diplomatic channels, public statements, and social media platforms. Furthermore, it had convened a network of global experts and published comprehensive technical guidance advising countries on how to protect their populations and health systems.
When the WHO Director-General formally declared COVID-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations on January 30, 2020—representing the highest level of legal alarm under international health law—there were fewer than 100 reported cases outside of China and zero reported deaths outside the country. In the critical first weeks and months of the unfolding global crisis, the Director-General repeatedly urged all nations to take immediate, decisive action to protect their citizens, famously warning that "the window of opportunity is closing," declaring that "this is not a drill," and describing the novel coronavirus as "public enemy number one."
In response to the multiple independent and institutional reviews conducted regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the performance of the WHO, the organization has consistently taken proactive steps to strengthen its internal operations. It has also worked extensively to support individual countries in bolstering their own domestic pandemic preparedness and response capacities. The surveillance, alert, and response systems that the organization developed and managed before, during, and after the acute emergency phase of the pandemic—which remain operational on a 24-hour, year-round basis—have continuously contributed to keeping all nations safe, including the United States.
Addressing another core element of the U.S. rationale, the organization responded to statements claiming that the WHO has pursued a "politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests." The agency firmly rejected this characterization as entirely untrue. As a specialized agency of the United Nations governed collectively by 194 Member States, the WHO has historically maintained, and continues to maintain, a stance of strict impartiality. It exists to serve all countries equitably, with profound respect for their individual national sovereignties, operating without fear or favor.
The organization expressed its deep appreciation for the ongoing support and continued engagement of all its remaining Member States. These nations continue to work collaboratively within the established framework of the WHO to pursue practical solutions to the world’s most formidable health threats, encompassing both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Most notably, Member States successfully adopted the landmark WHO Pandemic Agreement last year. Once fully ratified, this agreement will serve as a foundational instrument of international law designed to keep the world significantly safer from future pandemics. Furthermore, Member States are actively engaged in negotiating an annex to this agreement known as the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system. If successfully adopted, this system will promote the rapid detection and sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential, while ensuring equitable and timely global access to life-saving vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
Concluding its official response, the organization stated its sincere hope that in the future, the United States will choose to return to active participation within the WHO. In the meantime, the World Health Organization remains steadfastly committed to working alongside all countries across the globe in tireless pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate: ensuring the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental and inalienable right for every human being.
