On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed executive orders to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Agreement. As reasons for withdrawing from the WHO, Trump cited the political influence of member states and unfair contribution expectations of the United States, further alleging that the health group had mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic and other health emergencies. The president stated that the Paris Agreement also put unfair burdens on the United States, removing the U.S. from the international compact for the second time after President Joe Biden undid Trump’s withdrawal order from his first term. Both withdrawals will require one year to take effect, though federal health agencies have been ordered to stop working with the WHO immediately.

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