Published: 21 January 2026CDC / State DeptInternational
USA Formally Completes WHO Withdrawal After 78 Years
The United States of America formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026 — exactly one year after President Donald Trump initiated the process by signing an executive order on January 20, 2025. The US had been a WHO member for 78 years, having joined the organisation in 1948 at its founding. This marks the second time the US has withdrawn from WHO; the first withdrawal was initiated in 2020 under Trump's first term, reversed by President Biden in 2021.
Under US law, a one-year notice period is required before any withdrawal from WHO can take effect. The withdrawal process involved cessation of all US financial contributions — the US was WHO's largest single donor, contributing approximately 15-18% of its total budget — and withdrawal of all US government personnel from WHO headquarters in Geneva and field offices globally.
The withdrawal has significant geopolitical implications. WHO will face a substantial funding gap, as no other single nation immediately fills the US share. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), which had deep collaborative ties with WHO on pandemic preparedness, infectious disease surveillance, and global health security, has been directed to wind down those joint programmes.
In parallel with the WHO withdrawal, the US also exited the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the India-led climate cooperation body established at COP21 in Paris. This signals a broader US retreat from multilateral institutions under the Trump administration's America First doctrine.
India stands to benefit from this geopolitical shift. With the US stepping back, India has an opportunity to assume greater leadership in WHO, particularly given its pharmaceutical manufacturing prowess (India produces 20% of global generic medicines), its track record in managing large-scale vaccination programmes, and its soft power through South-South health diplomacy. India is also positioned to strengthen ISA's credibility without US participation, reinforcing its clean energy leadership narrative globally.
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Frequently asked questions
When did the US complete its WHO withdrawal and what legal process was followed?
The US completed its **formal WHO withdrawal on January 22, 2026**, exactly one year after President Trump signed an executive order on **January 20, 2025** initiating the process. US law requires a **one-year notice period** before WHO withdrawal takes effect. The process included cessation of all financial contributions and withdrawal of US government personnel from WHO offices globally.
What was the financial impact of the US withdrawal on WHO?
The US was WHO's **largest single donor**, contributing approximately **15-18% of WHO's total budget**. The withdrawal created a massive funding gap with no immediate replacement. This affects WHO's ability to respond to global health emergencies, pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance programmes, and the work of its field offices in developing countries.
How does the US WHO withdrawal create an opportunity for India in global health governance?
With the US stepping back from WHO leadership and funding, **India is positioned to fill the gap** given: (1) India produces **20% of global generic medicines**, making it the world's pharmacy; (2) India has demonstrated expertise in managing large-scale vaccination drives (COVID-19, polio eradication); (3) India's active **South-South health diplomacy** in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific; and (4) India's Voice Against Disease (VAADS) and Vaccine Maitri initiatives build credibility within WHO frameworks.
What is ISA and why is the US exit significant?
The **International Solar Alliance (ISA)** is an India-led international climate cooperation body established at **COP21 in Paris (2015)** to promote solar energy in tropical and subtropical countries. The US exit from ISA, alongside its WHO withdrawal, signals a broad retreat from multilateralism under Trump's **America First doctrine**. For India, this reinforces ISA's identity as a Global South-led initiative and strengthens India's role as a champion of renewable energy diplomacy without US participation.
How does the US WHO withdrawal compare to the 2020 withdrawal and what was different?
This is the **second US withdrawal** from WHO. The first was initiated in **2020 during Trump's first term** amid COVID-19 disputes with WHO, but President **Biden reversed it in January 2021**. The 2026 withdrawal follows the same legal process (one-year notice) but differs in context — it occurs post-pandemic with established precedent, broader multilateral retreat including ISA exit, and no immediate indication of reversal, suggesting more durable geopolitical realignment.
