The United States’ completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Department of State said.

The agencies said the withdrawal wasn't because of WHO's anti-alcohol propaganda but because of the organization's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.

WHO delayed declaring a global public health emergency and a pandemic during the early stages of COVID-19, costing the world critical weeks as the virus spread. During that period, WHO leadership echoed and praised China's response despite evidence of early underreporting, suppression of information and delays in confirming human-to-human transmission. The organization also downplayed asymptomatic transmission risks and failed to promptly acknowledge airborne spread.

After the pandemic, the WHO did not adopt meaningful reforms to address political influence, governance weaknesses or poor coordination, HHS said, reinforcing concerns that politics took priority over rapid, independent public health action and eroding global trust.

Its report evaluating the possible origins of COVID-19 rejected the possibility that scientists created the virus, even though China refused to provide genetic sequences from individuals infected early in the pandemic and information on the Wuhan laboratories’ activities and biosafety conditions. 

In a joint statement, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said:

"Like many international organizations, the WHO abandoned its core mission and acted repeatedly against the interests of the United States.  Although the United States was a founding member and the WHO’s largest financial contributor, the organization pursued a politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests. 

"In doing so, the WHO obstructed the timely and accurate sharing of critical information that could have saved American lives and then concealed those failures under the pretext of acting “in the interest of public health.” 

"Even on our way out of the organization, the WHO tarnished and trashed everything that America has done for it.  The WHO refuses to hand over the American flag that hung in front of it, arguing it has not approved our withdrawal and, in fact, claims that we owe it compensation. From our days as its primary founder, primary financial backer, and primary champion until now, our final day, the insults to America continue.

"Going forward, U.S. engagement with the WHO will be limited strictly to effectuate our withdrawal and to safeguard the health and safety of the American people.  All U.S. funding for, and staffing of, WHO initiatives has ceased. 

The U.S. is the world’s leading force in protecting public health, saving lives, and responding rapidly to infectious disease outbreaks, HHS said. Going forward, the U.S. government will continue its global health leadership through existing and new engagements directly with other countries, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and faith-based entities.

U.S.-led efforts will prioritize emergency response, biosecurity coordination, and health innovation to protect America first while delivering benefits to partners around the world.