US exits WHO: From COVID-19 to anti-American narrative, what caused Trump to abandon world body | World News
USA Leaves WHO: The USA has officially announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). The move ends Washington’s membership in the global health agency.
Meanwhile, according to the Trump administration, this move fulfills the promise made by the president on his first day in office.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In a joint statement, they stated that the withdrawal was carried out through an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump and was aimed at freeing the US from what they described as the organization’s restrictions.
“Today, the United States withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO), freeing itself from its restrictions, as President Trump promised by signing EO 14155 on his first day in office,” the statement said. “This action responds to WHO’s failures during the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to correct the harm caused by those failures to the American people.”
According to IANS, the statement stated that the global health organization was accused of abandoning its core mission and acting against the interests of the United States, despite being a founding member and the largest financial contributor.
According to the administration, WHO pursued a “politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests” and failed to ensure timely and accurate sharing of information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement stated that these failures could cost American lives and were then concealed under the pretext of “acting in the interest of public health.”
‘We refused to surrender the American flag’
The administration also criticized the WHO’s stance following the US decision to withdraw from the WHO.
The US administration claimed that it did not approve of the US withdrawal, stating that it refused to hand over the American flag displayed at the headquarters of the organization.
“Insults against America continue, from the days when we were its primary founder, primary financial supporter and primary champion, to our last day,” the statement said.
The administration has said the U.S. relationship with the WHO will now be strictly limited to completing the withdrawal process and protecting the health and safety of Americans.
Notably, all U.S. funding and staffing for WHO initiatives ended.
The statement said the United States will continue to lead global public health efforts through direct, bilateral partnerships and collaboration with trusted health institutions.
“We will continue to work with countries and trusted health institutions to share best practices, strengthen preparedness and protect our communities,” the statement said.
The administration said the retreat was intended to honor Americans affected by the pandemic, including those who died in nursing homes and workplaces hurt by pandemic restrictions, IANS reported.
The move follows long-standing criticism of the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
US history with WHO
The United States was a founding member of the WHO in 1948 and has historically been the largest contributor.
The decision marks a major shift in the United States’ relations with international health institutions.
(With inputs from IANS)
