US Formally Exits World Health Organization, Ending Decades-Long Partnership. The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization, cutting ties with the UN health body and removing one of its largest historical donors. Donald Trump signed an executive order initiating the withdrawal a year ago, accusing the WHO of being overly aligned with China during the Covid-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cited alleged mishandling of Covid-19, political influence by member states, and failure to reform as reasons for leaving the organization. The WHO rejected those claims, with Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warning the decision is a loss for both global health efforts and the United States. Washington has halted all funding, recalled U.S. staff from WHO offices worldwide, and suspended hundreds of cooperative programs, despite outstanding dues estimated at $260 million. U.S. officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accused the WHO of acting against American interests. The withdrawal leaves uncertainty over U.S. participation in global disease surveillance, vaccine development, and efforts to combat illnesses such as polio and HIV. Public health experts argue the move risks weakening international coordination, noting studies that link the high U.S. Covid-19 death toll to delayed and fragmented pandemic responses.