Decision comes amid prolonged dispute between Trump and the United Nations.
Published On 30 Jul 2026
The United States has announced a $600 million allocation to Gavi, while simultaneously withdrawing financial support for the World Health Organization (WHO) from the global vaccine alliance, dealing a significant blow to the United Nations agency.
In a joint statement, the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services declared: “The United States also reaffirms that it will not provide U.S. government funding to the World Health Organization through Gavi.”
This action aligns with directives issued by President Donald Trump to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, instructing them to negotiate reforms with Gavi as a prerequisite for any renewed U.S. support.
Republican Senator Susan Collins, who previously advocated for restoring U.S. funding to the global immunisation programme, welcomed the decision.
According to the State Department, Gavi has committed to collaborating with its board and partner countries to phase out mercury‑containing vaccines in favor of mercury‑free alternatives.
The latest move against the WHO by the Trump administration follows a long history of tension.
In 2020, Trump ordered a temporary suspension of U.S. funding to the WHO, criticizing its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and accusing it of amplifying Chinese misinformation that may have contributed to a broader outbreak.
At that time, the United States was the largest donor to the WHO, providing over $400 million in 2019, which represented about 15 percent of the organization’s budget.
In January 2021, President Joe Biden reversed the earlier decision, restoring U.S. funding and halting the withdrawal process from the WHO.
On the first day of his second term, January 20, 2025, Trump announced that the United States would formally withdraw from the WHO and suspend its contributions.
Analysts have noted that these actions appear driven more by ideological considerations than by strategic assessments.
The WHO’s financing combines mandatory contributions from member states with voluntary donations from external partners.
With an annual budget of approximately $3.4 billion, the WHO’s funding is roughly one‑third of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) $9.3 billion core allocation for 2023.
The organization’s resources support initiatives to prevent and treat polio, tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, measles, and other diseases, particularly in low‑resource settings lacking adequate domestic health infrastructure.
Additionally, the WHO coordinates responses to health crises in conflict‑affected regions, including parts of Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other areas.
