This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On July 8, 2020, US President Donald Trump made good on his threat to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move that has sparked widespread criticism and concern.
The decision comes after months of tension between the US and the WHO, which Trump has accused of being under China's control in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite calls from the European Union and other countries, Trump has insisted that he will pull out of the UN agency and redirect funds elsewhere.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, confirmed that the US had notified the UN of its withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021.
Senator Robert Menendez, the leading Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, tweeted that the move leaves Americans 'sick and America alone.'
Joe Biden, who will challenge Trump in the November presidential election, has vowed to rejoin the WHO on his first day as President.
The US is the WHO's largest single contributor, providing over $400m in 2019, around 15% of its total budget.
Under a Congress resolution in 1948, the US can withdraw but must give a year's notice and pay outstanding fees.
