‘Hope US will reconsider’: Tedros Adhanom on Trump's decision to withdraw from WHO

Tedros Adhanom

Reacting to US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the global agency, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom said the body regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization.

In an X post, the WHO chief said: "The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go."

On Monday, Trump signed an executive order beginning the process of withdrawing America from the World Health Organisation, the second time in less than five years that the US has ordered to withdraw from the world body. Trump said the WHO had failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states".

The 47th US President the WHO had failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states" and required "unfairly onerous payments" from the US that are disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China.

“The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board. For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats,” the WHO chief posted.