President Donald Trump, on Monday, issued an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO), a move that comes after his repeated criticism of the global health body’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a speech delivered shortly after taking office, Trump denounced the WHO’s management of the pandemic, accusing the organisation of unfairly burdening the U.S. financially while offering preferential treatment to China.

“World Health ripped us off,” Trump claimed, citing that the U.S. contributes significantly more funds to the WHO than China, despite being the largest donor to the Geneva-based organisation.

The U.S. has been a key financial contributor to the WHO, and its absence is expected to cause substantial disruptions to global health programs. Experts anticipate that the move could lead to a significant restructuring of the institution, with the potential for setbacks in efforts to combat global health crises.

This is the second time Trump has sought to sever ties with the WHO. During his first term, his administration accused the organisation of being unduly influenced by China and initiated a withdrawal process. That move was reversed under President Joe Biden.

In the latest executive order, Trump instructed U.S. agencies to identify alternative partners to take over the activities previously handled by the WHO, while also halting future U.S. government funding and support to the organisation. Furthermore, the administration announced plans to review and potentially revoke Biden’s 2024 U.S. Global Health Security Strategy, which aims to prevent and respond to infectious disease risks globally.

Trump’s withdrawal decision comes at a time when global health experts are raising alarms about the potential for the ongoing bird flu (H5N1) outbreak to become a pandemic. The virus, which has infected dozens and caused one death in the U.S., further underscores the need for effective international collaboration.