U.S. Withdrawal Triggers Financial Crisis
The World Health Organization (WHO) has started cutting its budget and workforce after the United States withdrew funding. President Donald Trump officially ended U.S. involvement on his first day in office for his second term.
The decision follows Trump’s criticism of the WHO’s handling of global health crises, including COVID-19. He also pointed out the funding gap between the U.S. and China.
Trump Calls WHO Funding “Unfair”
During the announcement, Trump highlighted the financial imbalance.
“We paid $500 million, while China, with 1.4 billion people, only contributed $39 million,” he said. “That didn’t seem fair, so I decided to step away.”
WHO Faces a $600 Million Budget Gap
The U.S. had been the WHO’s largest donor, covering 18% of its total budget. Without these funds, the organization now faces a massive shortfall.
A memo from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, obtained by Reuters, outlines the impact. It reveals a $600 million funding gap and a proposed 21% budget cut for 2026-27. The budget will drop from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion.
Job Cuts and Program Reductions Begin
With limited funding, the WHO has no choice but to downsize. Staff reductions will affect all levels, including top leadership at its Swiss headquarters.
“Despite our best efforts, we must now scale back both our work and workforce,” the memo states.
WHO to Prioritize Resources by April
The organization plans to finalize decisions on resource allocation by the end of April. The loss of U.S. support has forced a major restructuring, affecting global health initiatives worldwide.
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