WASHINGTON, DC — THE United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) after giving the required one-year notice, but reports indicate the country has left behind more than US$130 million in unpaid financial obligations.
Media reports place the outstanding balance at approximately US$133 million, covering assessed dues for 2024 and 2025.
Since taking office in January last year, the Donald Trump administration has moved to pull the United States out of several international bodies it argues do not align with U.S. interests. Among the primary targets of that policy shift has been the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, including the WHO.
During a press briefing at United Nations Headquarters in New York today, officials revealed that while the U.S. submitted notice of withdrawal, several conditions attached to the process may not have been fully met — most notably, the settlement of outstanding dues.
“Those conditions include giving a one-year notice and fully meeting the payment of financial obligations,” a Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General told reporters. “The World Health Organization has not yet confirmed to the Secretary-General as depository that those conditions have been fulfilled."
Health experts warn that the U.S. exit could have significant implications for global disease surveillance and response efforts, particularly in managing future outbreaks similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The withdrawal stems from an executive order signed on January 20, 2025, in which the U.S. President cited what the administration described as WHO’s "mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic", failure to implement critical reforms, and susceptibility to political influence from member states.
The order also criticized the organization’s funding structure, arguing that the United States was required to pay disproportionately more than other countries. It pointed to China — with a population more than three times that of the U.S. — contributing significantly less to the WHO’s budget.
According to media reports, the United States had been one of the WHO’s largest contributors, providing more than US$600 million annually in assessed dues and voluntary contributions.
With the withdrawal now finalized, questions remain about how the United States will engage in global health coordination moving forward, as the WHO continues to serve as the primary international body overseeing disease prevention, preparedness, and response.
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