US walks away from WHO, leaving unpaid tab of US$260 million

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by BloombergJanuary 23, 2026 at 12:26 AM

AI Summary

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In January 2025, the United States formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), one year after President Trump ordered the departure. The US is leaving behind approximately $260 million in unpaid debt to the organization. All funding to the WHO has been terminated, and US personnel working with the agency have been recalled. The US has also ceased participation in WHO leadership bodies and working groups. Trump initiated the withdrawal, citing the WHO's alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, failure to reform, and susceptibility to political influence. While WHO regulations require a one-year notice and debt settlement for withdrawal, a US official stated there was no legal requirement to settle the debt before exiting.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Covid-19 pandemic 50% Department of Health and Human Services 60% Donald Trump ×390% United States ×595% World Health Organization ×6100%

Keywords

world health organization 100% us withdrawal 90% unpaid debt 80% us$260 million 70% donald trump 60% global health 50% international relations 50% funding termination 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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world health organization us withdrawal unpaid debt us$260 million donald trump global health international relations funding termination

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