WHO Faces Cuts After U.S. Exit
U.S. exit from the WHO sparks global health concerns as funding cuts slash leadership and threaten pandemic preparedness and global collaboration.
Global Health Crisis
By Elke Porter | WBN News Global | May 15, 2025
The World Health Organization (WHO) has cut its management team in half and warned of major reductions to its global operations. The move comes just months after the United States officially withdrew from the WHO under President Trump’s second-term executive order—leaving a significant funding gap and sparking concerns about global health security.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the organization faces a proposed 21% budget cut, slashing funding for 2026–2027 to $4.2 billion. “We now have to make difficult choices about what we can continue to do,” Tedros said, emphasizing the urgent need for prioritization amid shrinking resources.
Why the U.S. Withdrawal Matters
The United States contributed between 12% and 15% of the WHO’s budget during 2022–2023, making it the organization’s largest single donor. Its exit not only affects funding but weakens international collaboration in disease surveillance, vaccine deployment, and humanitarian aid. The CDC has also been ordered to cease all interaction with the WHO, further isolating the U.S. from global health networks.
Without U.S. support, the WHO must scale back critical services such as pandemic preparedness, maternal health programs, and the supply chain for essential vaccines and medications. The vacuum also leaves the U.S. without access to early warning systems for global disease threats—potentially delaying vital information in future health emergencies.
WHO’s Essential Global Role
Beyond emergency response, the WHO sets global health standards, compiles international health data, and provides technical support to low- and middle-income countries. These efforts often benefit the U.S. directly, from guidelines on premature births to outbreak tracking. Health diplomacy, even with politically tense nations, has long been a tool for American engagement abroad.
A Costly Decision
Experts warn that walking away from the WHO will not solve its shortcomings. Instead, it risks sidelining the U.S. in future global health decisions. “If we think it’s expensive to be part of the WHO, just wait until we aren’t,” said Dr. Judd Walson of Johns Hopkins.
As the WHO restructures and reevaluates its priorities, the global community may soon feel the impact of one nation’s decision to step away.
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