President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the World Health Organization means the U.N. agency is losing its biggest funder.

If the U.S. withdraws funding and support from WHO, critical programs that support the survival of women and children will be at risk.

In this April 15, 2020 file photo, the logo and building of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

WHO’s constitution, drafted in New York, doesn’t have a clear exit method for member states. A joint resolution by Congress in 1948 outlined that the U.S. can withdraw with one year's notice. This is contingent, however, on ensuring that its financial obligations to WHO “shall be met in full for the organization’s current fiscal year.”

As the WHO’s largest donor, the US departure raises critical concerns about funding, global health initiatives, and pandemic preparedness. Experts warn that this move could weaken international health collaboration,

The United States will leave the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

A number of leaders are skipping this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

One of the world's biggest global health funders will ask the private sector for a steep increase in donations as concern of a shortfall in government contributions grows following a US decision to exit the World Health Organization.

More than half of Americans believe the U.S. benefits from its membership in the WHO. As of April 2024, 25% of U.S. adults say the country benefits a great deal from its membership, while about one third say it benefits a fair amount. Conversely, 38% say the U.S. does not benefit much or at all from WHO membership.

Switzerland's government said on Wednesday it planned to ban international adoptions due to concerns about abuses in the practice.

President Trump’s decision to pull out of the international health agency could deprive the United States of crucial scientific data and lessen the country’s influence in setting a global health agenda.

President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the World Health Organization means the U.N. agency is losing its biggest funder. For the two-year budget ending in 2025, the U.S. is projected to be WHO’s largest single contributor by far. It is expected to donate $958 million, or nearly 15%, of the agency’s roughly $6.5 billion budget.