U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff have been ordered to cut communication with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the wake of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump.
According to CNN, a memo sent to senior agency leadership by CDC Deputy Director of Global Health Dr. John Nkengasong, detailed how all contact with the organization must cease.
“Effective immediately all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means — in person or virtual — must cease their activity and await further guidance,” the memo says.
To withdraw formally from WHO, the U.S. must give the organization at least one years’ notice, however, Trump already initiated a withdrawal in 2020, allowing it to take place at any time following his executive order.
Dr. Lawrence Gostin, a global health expert at Georgetown University, told CNN the move was “reckless” and noted it makes the U.S. more vulnerable. Gostin further runs the WHO coordinating center on national and global health law.
“This move is reckless, basically ordering CDC not to work with WHO to put out fires is going to make Americans far more vulnerable.” Gostin told CNN.
Gostin noted there are currently outbreaks of the Marburg virus and H5N1 bird flu, and a lack of cooperation between the U.S. and the WHO could be dangerous for public health. CDC staff in WHO offices across the globe, have also been recalled, according to Gostin.
“President Trump is asking CDC to hit the pause button. But the truth is that viruses don’t take a break from circulating while the White House figures out its next move,” Gostin said, “If you want to figure out what your future relationship is with WHO, you stay in the fight until you figured it out, and then you make your move. You don’t just quit the battle while you’re trying to figure something out, because the enemy — which is the virus — is still circulating and causing mayhem.”
The U.S. is also the largest donor, and in December 2024, Trump called the organization a “scam” and called the cover-up of the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic “disgraceful.”
“The World Health Organization has become nothing more than a corrupt globalist scam, paid for by the United States but owned and controlled by China,” Trump said, “When the China virus reached our shores three years ago, the World Health Organization disgracefully covered the tracks of the Chinese Communist Party every single step of the way. For this reason, it was my great honor to terminate America’s relationship with the World Health Organization.”
