It's now official: this Thursday, the United States took the decisive step of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO). This break, initiated by Donald Trump upon his return to power and notified to the United Nations on January 22, 2025, concludes a one-year withdrawal process. In addition to this political departure, Washington confirmed that it would not pay its dues for 2024 and 2025, representing a shortfall of $260 million .

A security risk for American territory

While this decision may be intended as a gesture of sovereignty, it creates a dangerous vacuum for the health security of Americans. By cutting itself off from WHO networks, the United States loses privileged access to:

1. Real-time global epidemiological surveillance .
2. Sharing critical data on new variants and pathogens.
3. Coordination of international vaccination standards .

As expert Omer Awan warns, this disengagement directly weakens the country's ability to anticipate future pandemics, making the nation more vulnerable to cross-border infectious threats.

A decline in diplomatic influence

Beyond the health aspect, this is a geopolitical earthquake. By depriving the WHO of 18% of its global budget , the United States is relinquishing its position as the world's leading health authority. This withdrawal leaves the field open for other powers to redefine global health priorities.

“We will lose our influence and many countries will no longer consider us a global power in health,” emphasizes Omer Awan.

Key takeaways

Impact	Direct consequence
Financial	Loss of 18% of the WHO budget (i.e., $260 million in unpaid contributions).
National	Less preparedness for health crises and restricted access to data.
Overall	Weakening of health governance and reconfiguration of alliances.