Trump Withdraws US From WHO on First Day in Office

The Trump administration cited the WHO’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises as reasons for the withdrawal.

A man enters the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 15, 2021. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and halting U.S. funding to the United Nations body.

The order cited the WHO’s “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises” as reasons behind the U.S. withdrawal.