The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a forceful rebuttal to the United States' formal withdrawal from the global health body, calling the reasons cited "untrue" and warning the decision "makes both the U.S. and the world less safe". This extraordinary public rejection follows a joint statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announcing the completion of a year-long withdrawal process initiated by President Donald Trump.
In response to U.S. accusations that the WHO "trashed and tarnished" the country and compromised its independence, the agency stated, "The reverse is true," affirming it has always engaged with all member states, including the U.S., "with full respect for their sovereignty". The WHO also flatly denied pursuing a "politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests," asserting its role is to serve all nations impartially and without favor.
A significant portion of the WHO's public response dismantles the U.S. administration's claims of institutional failure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency detailed its early actions, noting it alerted the world and activated its emergency system immediately after receiving the first reports from Wuhan on December 31, 2019, and declared a global health emergency by January 30, 2020, when there were fewer than 100 cases and no deaths reported outside China. The WHO emphasized that while it recommended public health measures like masks and distancing, it never mandated national policies such as lockdowns or vaccine requirements, respecting that "decisions were theirs" to make.
The American exit is mired in financial and legal controversy. The WHO contends that the U.S. withdrawal cannot be considered complete until approximately $260 million in unpaid membership dues for 2024 and 2025 are settled. This requirement stems from the 1948 U.S. Congressional act that ratified WHO membership, which reserves the right to withdraw provided "financial obligations... shall be met in full". The symbolic removal of the U.S. flag from WHO headquarters in Geneva has become a point of contention, with U.S. officials accusing the agency of holding it "hostage". These unresolved issues will be formally examined by the WHO Executive Board in February and the World Health Assembly in May 2026.
Public health experts globally have condemned the withdrawal as short-sighted. The Infectious Diseases Society of America warned it jeopardizes vital virus surveillance, noting the U.S. will lose its seat at the table in systems like the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, which is critical for developing annual flu vaccines. The move severs the U.S. from a founding institution it helped build over 78 years, one responsible for historic achievements like the eradication of smallpox. Despite the rupture, the WHO has left the door open, expressing hope that the United States will eventually "return to active participation".