US stiffs WHO hundreds of millions as it officially withdrawals

The United States has officially severed its membership with the World Health Organization (WHO), resulting in an outstanding debt of hundreds of millions of dollars, as reported by Stat News. This decision follows a year after the Trump administration communicated its intent to withdraw from the agency, triggering a one-year withdrawal period as outlined in a 1948 congressional resolution. While the formal exit was supposed to take a year, the administration acted swiftly, discontinuing all connections with the WHO immediately after the announcement. Former President Trump cited numerous grievances concerning the organization's management of the COVID-19 crisis, financial obligations, and its perceived favoritism toward China as key reasons for the departure. Initially, Trump sought to extricate the U.S. from the WHO during his first term. However, upon taking office, President Biden reversed this decision before the one-year notice period could expire. According to the joint resolution, the U.S. was required to fulfill its financial commitments to the organization before fully withdrawing. This obligation remains unmet, as the Trump administration has not honored the payment. Reports indicate that the U.S. owed the WHO approximately $278 million in dues, which are determined by the member states' gross domestic product. This payment was meant to cover the membership for the 2024-2025 budget cycle, as the WHO operates on a two-year financial cycle. In the past, these payments were typically handled by the State Department's international agencies bureau, but a spokesperson confirmed to Stat that the U.S. would not be settling this debt.