Trump ditched the World Health Organization. His new plan will cost three times as much, report says
February 19, 2026 at 07:29 PM
By Josh Marcus
Public health experts have said leaving the health organization will hamstring global cooperation on fighting disease
đĄAnalysis & Context
The proposed $2 billion plan isn't just about cost; it's a profound shift from multilateral cooperation to a unilateral, 'America First' approach to global health. This strategy risks isolating the U.S. from critical international data and expertise, making future pandemic responses less effective and more expensive for everyone. This move fundamentally undermines global health security, leaving the world more vulnerable to future pandemics and eroding decades of collaborative disease prevention efforts. Watch for how other nations react to this unilateralism and whether the U.S. can truly replicate global health infrastructure without international buy-in, or if it simply creates redundant, less efficient systems.
đ Quick Summary
Trump's plan to replace WHO functions with a $2 billion domestic effort, three times the original cost, signifies a dangerous pivot from global cooperation to isolationism. This costly, unilateral approach risks fragmenting international health efforts, leaving the U.S. and the world more exposed to future health crises and less equipped to respond effectively.
Public health experts have said leaving the health organization will hamstring global cooperation on fighting disease
NewsWorldAmericasUS politicsTrump ditched the World Health Organization. His new plan will cost three times as much, report saysPublic health experts have said leaving the health organization will hamstring global cooperation on fighting disease Josh Marcus in San Francisco Thursday 19 February 2026 19:29 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverUnited States officially exits the World Health OrganizationYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe Trump administration is reportedly proposing to spend around $2 billion per year replicating the global health capabilities of the World Health Organization, after the U.S. finalized its exit from the UN agency last month.The Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly driving the effort to build up the U.S. labs, data-sharing networks, and rapid-response systems that it previously had access to as part of the global health agency, unnamed officials told The Washington Post.The figure is roughly triple the U.S.âs past annual contributions to the WHO, which averaged about $680 million in member dues and voluntary contributions.The Independent has contacted HHS and the White House for comment. President Trump has long criticized the agency, moving to leave in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, but that effort was retracted under the Biden administration. When Trump returned to the White House, he restarted the exit, citing, among other issues, âunfairly onerous paymentsâ in a January 2025 executive order announcing his decision. open image in galleryThe Trump administration is reportedly looking to spend billions per year replicating the capabilities of the World Health Organization, which the U.S. officially left last month (AFP/Getty)The president has also criticized the WHO for missteps during the Covid outbreak, including a slow process to formally declare that the disease was airborne. Public health experts sharply criticized the administrationâs decision to leave the WHO, which America helped found and has often been its largest contributor, arguing the decision would leave the U.S. with less information and global capabilities to monitor and counteract disease, while international efforts to fight polio and improve childrenâs health would falter.Dr. Ronald Nahass, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said last month the decision was "shortsighted and misguided" and "scientifically reckless,â while public health law expert Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University told the Associated Press the pullback was âthe most ruinous presidential decision in my lifetime.âopen image in galleryPresident Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from a variety of longstanding multilateral agreements and institutions, substituting them with new bodies like the Board of Peace or favoring bilateral, one-off deals (Reuters)The U.S. also owes more than $100 million in dues for the years 2024 and 2025, according to the WHO.President Trumpâs decision to leave the WHO is part of a larger series of moves distancing the U.S. from a variety of multilateral institutions and treaties, many of which America helped establish. The Republican created a âBoard of Peace,â an alternative global diplomatic forum to the UN, and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, while often frustrating NATO allies by threatening to take over Greenland. More aboutWorld Health OrganizationDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDonald TrumpCovidGreenlandJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next
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