In a surprising move, members of Donald Trump's team are making plans for the US to leave the World Health Organization (WHO) right at the start if he wins a second term. Lawrence Gostin, a top health law expert, shares that Trump is likely to act quickly, possibly on his first day back in office. This information first came out in the Financial Times, based on insights from two knowledgeable sources. However, when asked for comments, both Trump's team and Ashish Jha, another expert mentioned, haven't given responses yet.
This step would be in line with Trump's previous criticisms of WHO and would represent a major change in how the US participates in global health matters. It could also lead to the US being more isolated from international efforts against diseases like pandemics. Trump has already tried to leave WHO once during his presidency in 2020 but this was reversed by President Joe Biden six months later.
Trump's main issue with WHO has been its handling of China at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes WHO did not do enough to question China's actions and transparency during the early stages of the outbreak. As a result, he has often referred to WHO as being under China's influence and has suggested that US funds for WHO should instead be used for domestic health projects.
A spokesperson for WHO didn't comment directly on these developments but pointed out recent remarks by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's Director-General. Tedros expressed hope that countries would come together to forge an agreement on handling pandemics by May 2025 despite potential challenges.
Critics are concerned about the negative impacts of such a move by the US. They argue it would weaken global systems designed to monitor and respond to health emergencies. Gostin mentions that without strong participation from the US, WHO would suffer significantly and potentially give more room for China to lead in global health initiatives. This scenario worries many who believe in maintaining a strong and effective WHO as part of worldwide efforts against diseases and pandemics.
This step would be in line with Trump's previous criticisms of WHO and would represent a major change in how the US participates in global health matters. It could also lead to the US being more isolated from international efforts against diseases like pandemics. Trump has already tried to leave WHO once during his presidency in 2020 but this was reversed by President Joe Biden six months later.
Trump's main issue with WHO has been its handling of China at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes WHO did not do enough to question China's actions and transparency during the early stages of the outbreak. As a result, he has often referred to WHO as being under China's influence and has suggested that US funds for WHO should instead be used for domestic health projects.
A spokesperson for WHO didn't comment directly on these developments but pointed out recent remarks by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's Director-General. Tedros expressed hope that countries would come together to forge an agreement on handling pandemics by May 2025 despite potential challenges.
Critics are concerned about the negative impacts of such a move by the US. They argue it would weaken global systems designed to monitor and respond to health emergencies. Gostin mentions that without strong participation from the US, WHO would suffer significantly and potentially give more room for China to lead in global health initiatives. This scenario worries many who believe in maintaining a strong and effective WHO as part of worldwide efforts against diseases and pandemics.
