WHO Chief Warns US Exit Makes Global Health Less Safe

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The head of the World Health Organization has warned that the United States’ decision to withdraw from the UN health agency poses serious risks not only to Americans but to global health security as well.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the move by the Trump administration would weaken international cooperation at a critical time. With the US withdrawal set to take effect next week, he described the decision as damaging for all sides.

“This is a loss for the United States, and it is also a loss for the rest of the world,” Tedros said, adding that the withdrawal “makes the US unsafe and makes the rest of the world unsafe.”

He stressed that global health threats do not respect borders and warned that reduced engagement by one of the world’s largest economies could undermine efforts to detect, prevent and respond to future health emergencies.