The big picture: U.S. President Donald Trump signed a Day One executive order to begin U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization, picking up where he left off four years ago.
Public health experts say U.S. withdrawal from the W.H.O. would undermine the nation’s standing as a global health leader and make it harder to fight the next pandemic.
What he is saying:
- Germany Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Tuesday that the country will try to persuade the U.S. to remain in the World Health Organization.
- Lauterbach said: "The new U.S. president's announcement to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) is a serious blow to the international fight against global health crises," adding: "We will try to persuade Donald Trump to reconsider this decision."
- Lauterbach said: "The news was a catastrophe for the health of the poorest people on the planet."
Key points:
- The U.S. pays approximately 20 percent of mandatory contributions to the WHO, which are weighted based on a country’s resources, amounting to $130 million in 2024. It has also been by far the biggest voluntary funder, contributing an extra &368 million in 2023. Germany is the second biggest funder, paying $229 million in voluntary contributions in 2023.
- Other donors will now need to reconsider their own contributions to avoid a major drop-off in WHO spending.
Go deeper:
