WHO has expressed regret over the United States’ notification of withdrawal, saying the move makes both the United States and the world less safe. The notification will be examined by the WHO Executive Board at its meeting starting 2 February and by the World Health Assembly at its annual session in May 2026, underscoring the procedural steps ahead in response to the WHO withdrawal.
The WHO response notes statements from the US accusing the organisation of having “trashed and tarnished” its reputation and of compromising independence. WHO rejects those claims and says the reverse is true, adding that engagement with every Member State, including the United States, has been carried out in good faith and with full respect for national sovereignty.
Among the reasons cited by the US were alleged “WHO failures during the COVID-19 pandemic”, including claims that WHO obstructed timely and accurate sharing of critical information and concealed failures. WHO stands by its pandemic response, saying it acted quickly, shared information transparently, and issued advice based on the best available evidence. WHO emphasises that it recommended masks, vaccines and physical distancing but did not endorse mask mandates, vaccine mandates or lockdowns, and that national measures remained the sovereign decisions of countries.
WHO recalls that immediately after first reports of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan on 31 December 2019 it sought more information, activated its emergency incident management system and convened global experts. By the time the first death in China was reported on 11 January 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, public statements and social media. The Director-General declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020, at a time when outside China there were fewer than 100 reported cases and no reported deaths.
Throughout the early phase of the pandemic the Director-General urged countries to act, warning that “the window of opportunity is closing”, that “this is not a drill” and describing COVID-19 as “public enemy number one”. Subsequent reviews of the pandemic, including WHO’s own performance, have prompted reforms and measures to strengthen WHO’s work and to support countries in boosting preparedness and response capacities.
WHO says the systems it developed and managed before, during and after the emergency phase operate around the clock and have helped keep countries safe, including the United States. For Pakistan, where WHO collaboration has supported efforts against polio, tuberculosis, malaria and other public health challenges, continued cooperation remains important to protect public health and sustain gains made with WHO technical and operational support.
The United States also accused WHO of pursuing a politicised agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests. WHO rejects this characterisation, stressing that as a specialised UN agency governed by 194 Member States it remains impartial and serves all countries without fear or favour. Member States last year adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which when ratified aims to strengthen global preparedness. Negotiations are underway on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex to promote rapid detection and sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
WHO says it hopes the United States will return to full participation and remains committed to working with all countries to fulfil its constitutional mandate of the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people. The organisation signals it will continue engagement and collaboration despite the notification and the ongoing dialogue around the WHO withdrawal.
