Trump Administration Halts Funding to World Health Organization

This week, President Donald Trump directed his administration to place a hold on all funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). Each year, the U.S. Government provides approximately $400 million to $500 million to WHO to support its international health planning, coordination, and response activities. The Trump Administration contends that the WHO mismanaged the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including not acting expeditiously enough when receiving reports of human-to-human COVID-19 transmission and opposing travel restrictions established by the Trump Administration.

In announcing its decision to halt WHO funding, the Trump Administration calls for structural reforms to the organization, including increased transparency and data sharing, International Health Regulation accountability, and increased access to medicines. The full announcement from the Trump Administration is available here.