U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), marking a retreat from two major international commitments. The actions signal a continued shift in US policy toward unilateralism and have drawn sharp criticism domestically and abroad.
On the first day of his second presidency, President Donald Trump reversed 78 executive actions, orders, and memoranda from the Biden administration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that Trump signed more than 200 executive actions and 115 personnel actions.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.
Paris agreement burdens American taxpayers
Trump’s Paris withdrawal echoes his 2017 decision to exit the landmark climate pact aimed at limiting global temperature rise to well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels.
Instead of joining a global agreement, “the United States’ successful track record of advancing both economic and environmental objectives should be a model for other countries,” Trump said.
Trump said the agreement unfairly burdened American taxpayers while benefiting other nations. He stated that the accord “steers American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people.” The decision also included sending a formal letter to the United Nations to confirm the withdrawal.
Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a principal architect of the Paris accord, described the move as “unfortunate” but noted that global efforts to combat climate change remain robust. “There is unstoppable economic momentum behind the global transition, which the U.S. has gained from and led but now risks forfeiting,” Tubiana said.
She cited the International Energy Agency’s projection that the global market for clean energy technologies could exceed $2 trillion by 2035. Tubiana also pointed to worsening climate impacts, such as the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, as a stark reminder of the urgency to act.
The Paris cliamte agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, or at most, below 2°C. However, 2024 was confirmed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) as the warmest year on record, with global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.
US withdrawal from World Health Organization
In a separate move, Trump announced the US withdrawal from the WHO, accusing the agency of mismanaging the COVI-19 pandemic and other international health crises. The decision, effective in 12 months, includes halting the US’s financial contributions, which account for approximately 18% of the WHO’s funding.
Trump criticized the organization for being influenced by member states and imposing what he called “unfairly onerous payments” on the U.S. The WHO denied the allegations and called for transparency from China regarding the origins of COVID-19.
The US exit, following Trump’s earlier efforts to withdraw in 2020, is part of a broader suspension of foreign development assistance for 90 days while a review is conducted. Trump defended the moves as aligning with American interests, stating, “World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It’s not going to happen anymore.”
Public health experts warn that U.S. withdrawal from the WHO would diminish its global health leadership and hinder efforts to combat future pandemics. The move could isolate the U.S., impacting pandemic response, disease control, and diplomatic relations. It would also cut off the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s access to critical global data provided by the WHO.
Lawrence Gostin, a public health law professor at Georgetown University, said in a post on X that Trump’s move to exit the WHO is “the most momentous of all” of Trump’s executive actions after his inauguration. “It’s a cataclysmic presidential decision. Withdrawal is a grievous wound to world health, but a still deeper wound to the US,” he added.