Member states of the World Health Organization are set to discuss a potential $400 million reduction in the agency’s budget following President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States, its largest government contributor, from the WHO, as indicated in a document released on Monday.
During the opening of the U.N. agency’s annual executive board meeting, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the organization’s efforts and recent reforms, urging the U.S. to reconsider its withdrawal and engage in discussions regarding further changes.
“We welcome input from the United States and all member states on how we can enhance our service to you and the global community,” he stated.
The proposed budget cut will be a key topic at the Geneva meeting scheduled for February 3-11, where representatives will evaluate the agency’s funding and initiatives for the 2026-27 period.
According to the document, the executive board suggests reducing the base programs section of the budget from an initial proposal of $5.3 billion to $4.9 billion. This adjustment is part of a broader budget of $7.5 billion for 2026-27, which includes allocations for polio eradication and emergency response efforts.
The document notes, “With the exit of the largest financial contributor, the budget cannot remain ‘business as usual.'” The U.S. contributes approximately 18% of the WHO’s total funding, and the organization has already implemented some cost-saving measures in response to the U.S. decision.
Nevertheless, some board representatives expressed a desire to convey that the WHO would maintain its strategic focus despite these challenges, as highlighted in the document.
The proposed $4.9 billion budget aligns closely with the base program budget for the previous period, 2024-2025.
Trump initiated the process to withdraw from the WHO on his first day in office two weeks ago, a procedure that will take one year under U.S. law.
On Monday, Tedros also addressed several of Trump’s criticisms, particularly regarding the WHO’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic and its independence.
The agency responded swiftly to the COVID outbreak, and he noted that the WHO is pleased to reject requests from member states that contradict its mission or scientific principles.
