Wed Dec 25 08:58:31 UTC 2024: ## Trump Reportedly Plans Day-One WHO Withdrawal
**Washington, D.C. – December 25, 2024** – President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly planning to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) on his first day back in office, according to a health law expert.
Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University and director of the WHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law, stated that he has been informed of the plan. This aligns with Trump’s previous criticisms of the organization, accusing it of failing to hold China accountable for the early spread of COVID-19 and describing it as a “puppet of Beijing.”
The *Financial Times* first reported the plans, citing two experts familiar with the discussions, including former White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha. While the Trump transition team has yet to comment, the reported plan raises concerns about a significant shift in U.S. global health policy. Trump’s appointment of several WHO critics to key public health positions further supports this prediction.
This would not be the first attempt at withdrawal. Trump initiated the withdrawal process in 2020, but President Biden reversed the decision six months later.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously expressed confidence in reaching a pandemic agreement by May 2025, but acknowledged the need to allow the U.S. time for its transition.
Experts warn that a U.S. withdrawal would severely weaken the WHO, undermining global disease surveillance and emergency response systems. The resulting power vacuum would likely be filled by China, diminishing U.S. influence on the world stage.
First Piper 