The U.N. agency has received a formal request from Washington to withdraw its troops next year, following Trump's order to halt funding over whom.

The United States will officially withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2026, after the UN agency received a formal letter from US President Donald Trump this week.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said on Thursday that the withdrawal was now possible, after Trump pledged on Monday, his first day in office, to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO and end future funding for the organization. Start the motion.

"I can confirm that we have now received the letter from the United States who made the withdrawal. It is dated January 22, 2025. It is effective as of yesterday (January 22, 2026)." Haq said.

Trump also ordered Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to "pause any future transfer of U.S. government funds, support, or resources to the WHO."

Washington recalled all U.S. government personnel working with the WHO and ordered them to stop participating in WHO-led negotiations on a global treaty related to the pandemic.

With the departure of the United States, who will lose its most important financial backer.

The United States contributes approximately 18% of the funding, approximately $261 million between 2024 and 2025. This donation is China’s second largest donation of US$181 million. Experts say the loss of the World Health Organization's top donor will impact the global health agency's ability to tackle major crises from tuberculosis to HIV/AIDS and global pandemics.

Trump, whom Trump blamed for the pandemic during his first term in office, issued a request to withdraw from the organization in July 2020.

This attempt to withdraw troops was thwarted when Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, who immediately withdrew the order.

Many health experts blame Trump and his administration for the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives.

On Tuesday, the WHO issued a statement saying it regretted the United States' announced departure and noted that its work "plays a vital role in protecting the health and safety of people around the world, including Americans."

"We hope the United States will reconsider, and we look forward to a constructive dialogue to maintain our partnership with WHO to benefit the health and well-being of millions of people around the world," the WHO said.

Jean Galbraith, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, said that the United States joined the WHO through a joint resolution of both chambers of Congress, which leaves Trump with questions about whether Trump can unilaterally revoke U.S. membership without requiring Congress. approve.

Trump's Republicans, who control the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, can still challenge the withdrawal in court, legal experts say. "Trump made a unilateral decision on who to withdraw. But we joined an Act of Congress in 1948. Trump would need congressional approval to withdraw," said Lawrence Lawrence, director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. Lawrence Gostin wrote on social media.

"His decision is too disastrous to be made without Congress and the courts. As director of the WHO center, I am considering filing a lawsuit," Gostin said.

Trump made unilateral decisions about who to withdraw. But we joined the 1948 Act of Congress. Trump needs congressional approval to withdraw. His decision was too disastrous to be made without Congress and the courts. As director of the WHO center, I am considering filing a lawsuit.

— Lawrence Gostin (@lawrencegostin) January 21, 2025