Reuters has learned from two sources familiar with the matter and an official document that the Trump administration is contemplating a strategy to reform the WHO, which may involve the appointment of an American as head of the organization. This move would be made in an effort for the US to maintain its membership in the global health organization.
Discussed with advisors to President Trump prior to his inauguration on January 20, the document urged a “radical new approach” to dealing with the World Health Organization (WHO), including the appointment of a US official to the position of director general upon Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s term ending in 2027. It also urged a prompt announcement of the US withdrawal from the WHO.
The withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) was one of Trump’s first policy actions as president. By January of 2026, the World Health Organization would have lost its largest donor. The order claims that the agency was influenced by foreign governments and mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the WHO denies these claims.
While Trump has not specified what exactly needs to be “cleaned up” at the WHO, he has implied that the United States may return provided the organization is improved.
According to the two individuals, the reform plan has been in the works since before Trump became president, but it is still unclear if any of the other suggestions will be implemented by his administration.
White House spokeswoman Kush Desai told Reuters that the Trump administration will keep looking into healthcare organizations and existing procedures to find ways to improve them. Concerning the World Health Organization, he remained silent.
The proposal, which was prepared by a foreign policy specialist at the behest of Trump’s transition team, states that the World Health Organization (WHO) is now the most disorganized and ineffective UN institution.
There has been a decline in managerial and scientific competence at the WHO since the organization has not implemented changes suggested over the past 20 years, according to the report.
It concedes that the United States would lose out if it left the World Health institution (WHO), but contends that staying put would be just as bad for American interests unless the institution undergoes change.
In an interview with Reuters, Søren Brostrøm, the director of transformation at WHO, denied the charges and stated that the organization had implemented its most significant reforms to date during Tedros’s leadership.
We have made significant changes, and we are well aware that there is more work to be done, he told Reuters, mentioning efforts to make the organization more self-sufficient by changing its funding model, empowering country directors to make decisions outside of headquarters, and being more transparent about its expenditure.
He highlighted that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) responses to health emergencies were far from chaotic, despite the fact that its work may be more difficult than other UN organizations due to its large mission.
“If member states… have additional requests for reform, we will try to deliver,” he continued.
A US special envoy would be appointed in 2025, according to the plan document. This individual would report to Trump and the White House, and their job would be to supervise discussions with the WHO over possible reforms in the lead-up to next year’s anticipated leave.
Both the State and Health and Human Services departments are currently responsible for coordinating with the World Health Organization (WHO). To make history, the envoy would advocate for the appointment of a US official to head the international health organization.
“There is no formal reason why this is the case and the lack of American leadership at the top of WHO has been a critical factor in the wasting of American funds and the decline of the organization’s efficiency,” the proposal adds.
Any member state has the right to suggest and advocate for their own candidate for director-general, according to Brostrøm. After narrowing the field of candidates, the executive board of the WHO chooses the one who receives the most votes from member states—two-thirds of them—to become the new head of the organization.
At about 18% of the total yearly financing, divided between $400 million in voluntary contributions and $130 million in assessed payments, which member states pay according to their economic size, the United States is the largest financial contributor to the World Health Organization (WHO). If other donors do not step in to cover the US gaps, the WHO has threatened to curtail spending.
Even the United States’ long-time collaborator in detecting and containing worldwide illness outbreaks—the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention—is no longer allowed to communicate with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The World Health Organization (WHO) will be holding its executive board meeting in Geneva from February 3-11 to establish its future priorities and budget, according to Brostrøm. A delegation from the WHO will be present at the conference.
For the sake of global and American health, 43 senators and state representatives pleaded with Trump last week to reevaluate the departure strategy. A number of public health advocates are trying to stop the change as well, and some are even considering going to court to contest the decision.
Lawrence Gostin, head of the WHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law and professor of global health at Georgetown University in Washington, said that staying and advocating for changes would be beneficial for the United States.
Luis Gochoco is a seasoned managing editor and writer with over a decade of experience covering politics, technology, gaming, and entertainment news. With a keen eye for breaking stories and in-depth analysis, he has established himself as a trusted voice in digital journalism. Luis is one of the key forces behind the success of GameNGuide, contributing to 12 million views through engaging and high-traffic content. He also played a pivotal role in generating 8 million views on International Business Times, shaping the platform’s technology and gaming coverage.
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