The United States completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22 without settling nearly $260 million in outstanding payments, Bloomberg reported.

According to the agency, the World Health Assembly plans to discuss legal options for addressing the issue of the unpaid contributions in May.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, to withdraw the United States from the WHO, citing what he described as disproportionately high US contributions compared to other countries. As noted by Bloomberg, Washington fully halted funding to the organization, ceased participation in WHO-related working groups, and withdrew its representatives.

The process of US withdrawal from the WHO had previously been initiated during Trump’s first presidential term. On May 29, 2020, he announced his intention to fully sever ties with the organization, accusing it of being under China’s influence. At that time, the United States informed the United Nations of its planned withdrawal from the WHO effective July 6, 2021. This decision was later reversed by former US President Joe Biden, who signed an executive order rescinding the withdrawal on his first day in office.