Donald Trump’s 2025 decision to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO echoes his 2020 stance, accusing the organization of bias towards China and mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, 40% of U.S. citizens felt the country wasn’t benefiting much from WHO membership, up from 34% in 2021, with Republicans less likely to see benefits than Democrats.
The U.S. has consistently contributed around 15% of WHO’s total funding, including a record $1.2 billion for 2022-23, making it the largest donor.
Other major contributors include the Gates Foundation (12.9%), the GAVI Alliance (9.91%), the European Commission (8.06%), and the World Bank (5.34%), but none contribute as much as the U.S.
The U.S. withdrawal from WHO will likely create a financial gap, as no other country has exceeded 5% of total WHO funding.
Trump’s decision to halt funding will disrupt key WHO initiatives, including global health services, emergency responses, polio eradication, and epidemic prevention.
The U.S. has the highest number of WHO collaborating centers (79), and their reassignment could impact research and collaborative efforts.
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