President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization, which is a United Nations agency that works with government entities and other partners to improve the health of people and communities worldwide. As of Jan. 19, it had 124 member states, including the U.S.
The United States originally joined WHO in 1948. Trump withdrew the nation’s participation during his first term, in 2020, and it was reinstated by former President Joe Biden in 2021.
On the WHO’s website, as of Monday evening, it says, “The United States of America plays a crucial role in supporting WHO to protect and improve the health of Americans and people around the world.”
Trump suggested that the cost of involvement was too high for the U.S., saying that it had paid $500 million to support the organization, while China only pays $39 million.
“China pays 39 million, and we pay 500 million, and China’s a bigger country,” he said, adding that it seemed “a little unfair.”
Implying that further negotiations might be possible, Trump said, “They wanted us back so badly, so we’ll see what happens.”