The Republican’s transition office would already be preparing a scenario for his departure, according to “Reuters”
The transition team of the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump (Republican), would be preparing the country’s exit from the WHO (World Health Organization). According to an expert consulted by , the Republican wants to enact the measure at the beginning of his term. He takes office on January 20, 2025.
“I have reliable information that he plans to withdraw, probably on the first day or very early in his administration.”said Lawrence Gostin, who is a university professor and director of one of the WHO centers.
The US withdrawal would significantly impact the organization’s funding, with around 15% of the budget coming from the US government alone. Another impact would be on the influence of the WHO.
2ND GOVERNMENT, 2ND ATTEMPT
This is not the first time that Donald Trump has tried to remove the US from the international organization. During the covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, the republican relations with the WHO and, shortly afterwards, began the formal process.
At the time, Trump said the organization was controlled by China and had “covering up the virus” of the country. The Republican also criticized the WHO’s management during the pandemic, which did not accept the US government’s policies to control the disease.
The organization’s departure was scheduled to take effect on July 6, 2021. However, the new president who took office that year, Joe Biden (Democrat), reversed the decision and announced the US’s permanence in the WHO.
The arrival of the new government on January 20, 2025 allows the Republican to withdraw from the country without hindrance. The measure aligns with the ideologies of Trump himself and some members of the new team for the 2nd term.
The main name in favor of leaving is that of the Department of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, part of the anti-vaccine movement. RFK accuses the organization of being influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to repeating Trump’s idea that China controlled the WHO during the pandemic.
