The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, failure to reform, and susceptibility to political influence, particularly from China. Alongside this, President Donald Trump has paused all US foreign aid for 90 days to evaluate its alignment with American interests, signaling a significant pivot in US foreign policy.
US Withdraws from WHO
In a landmark decision, Trump announced the US exit from the WHO, accusing the global health body of inefficiency and political bias. He stated, “The WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90% less to the WHO.”
The decision comes after the US criticized the WHO for being overly sympathetic to China’s narrative during the initial outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump’s 2020 decision to withdraw from the WHO has now been reinforced by an executive order, which accuses the organization of failing to demonstrate independence from undue political influence.
Key Actions Taken
Trump’s executive order outlines several immediate measures:
- The Secretary of State and the Office of Management and Budget have been instructed to halt future transfers of US government funds, resources, or support to the WHO.
- US government personnel working with the WHO are to be recalled and reassigned.
- Alternative partners to take over WHO’s responsibilities are to be identified.
The order also confirmed that the US would no longer participate in negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement or amendments to the International Health Regulations. These agreements and regulations will no longer apply to the US.
In response to the decision, Trump directed his national security advisor to establish directorates and coordinating mechanisms within the National Security Council. These efforts aim to “safeguard public health and fortify biosecurity,” ensuring the US’s independent preparedness against future global health crises.
US Foreign Aid Pause for Reevaluation
In another sweeping move, Trump has ordered a 90-day pause on all US foreign aid to review its consistency with national foreign policy goals. According to the executive order, “All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy.”
Review Process and Impact
The Secretary of State, in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget, will develop guidelines for agencies to review each foreign assistance program. The review will determine whether these programs will continue, be modified, or cease altogether.
This decision is expected to have wide-reaching consequences for US diplomacy, global policy initiatives, and the many civil society organizations and NGOs reliant on US support. Hundreds of thousands of personnel working with US-backed programs are likely to feel the effects of this pause.
Trump’s ‘America First’ Shift
Trump’s withdrawal from international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord and the WHO, combined with his directive to prioritize American interests, marks a significant departure from traditional US foreign policy. The administration’s actions suggest a more insular approach, focusing on tangible national benefits while leaving a vacuum for other global powers to potentially fill.
