Executive Order: Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization

Date Issued: Jan. 20, 2025

Executive Summary

This executive order withdraws the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. withdrew from the WHO in 2020 in response to what the president viewed as mishandling of global health crises such as COVID-19, failure to implement reforms, its inability to remain independent of negative political influence and unjust financial demands. The actions outlined by this order seek to improve public health and secure U.S. independence from the WHO by suspending support to the WHO, assigning new personnel to take over the activities previously handled by the WHO and establishing new U.S. leadership positions.

Policy Actions

• The U.S. will withdraw from the WHO.
• The assistant to the president for national security affairs will establish directorates and mechanisms to protect public health and strengthen biosecurity.
• The secretary of state and the director of the Office Management and Budget (OMB) will pause the transfer of funds, support and resources to the WHO, recall and reassign U.S. government personnel involved with the WHO and assign new personnel to take over the activities previously handled by the WHO.
• The director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR) will replace the 2024 U.S. Global Health Security Strategy.
• The secretary of state will inform the secretary general of the United Nations and the leadership of the WHO of the withdrawal.
• Negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the amendments to the International Health Regulations will be suspended during the withdrawal.

Revoked Executive Actions

• The Presidential Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations signed on Jan. 20, 2021, that retracted the U.S.'s July 6, 2020, notification of withdrawal
• Executive Order 13987 of Jan. 25, 2021 (Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security)

Trump's 2025 Executive Orders: Updates and Summaries

Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group is reviewing President Trump's 2025 Executive Orders and other actions. To read all Executive Order Updates and Summaries, visit our landing page.