The White House has officially moved to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), a senior administration official confirmed to the NY Post Tuesday.
“The United States’ notice of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General, who is the depository for the WHO,” the official said.
To leave the organization, the U.S. is supposed to give a one-year notice and pay outstanding dues. As of June 30th, the U.S. owed $198 million in unpaid membership dues.
Sen. Bob Menendez (N.J.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, tweeted that the administration informed Congress of the withdrawal plans.
“To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn’t do it justice. This won’t protect American lives or interests — it leaves Americans sick & America alone,” the senator tweeted.
Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the @WHO in the midst of a pandemic.
To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn’t do it justice. This won’t protect American lives or interests—it leaves Americans sick & America alone.
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) July 7, 2020
A spokesperson for the United Nations confirmed that they received the notification: “On 6 July 2020, the United States of America notified the Secretary-General … of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, effective on 6 July 2021,” wrote Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General.
Joe Biden said he would return the US to the WHO before the year-long process of withdrawal was complete.
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