Trump Administration Rejects WHO Pandemic Amendments

The United States under President Donald Trump has officially rejected a series of amendments made to the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR), arguing that the changes infringe on national sovereignty and could interfere with domestic policymaking.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made the announcement in a joint statement Friday, distancing the U.S. from revisions agreed to last year by the World Health Assembly in Geneva. “The changes risk unwarranted interference with our national sovereign right to make health policy,” they said.

Kennedy, a known critic of vaccines, and Rubio insisted that the United States will not be bound by international agreements that compromise its independence. “We will put Americans first in all our actions and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans’ speech, privacy or personal liberties,” their statement added.

Although Trump initiated the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO immediately upon his return to office on January 20, the State Department noted that the previous administration’s involvement in last year’s negotiations would have made the amendments binding unless explicitly rejected.

The amendments in question included a “commitment to solidarity and equity,” and proposed the creation of a new body to assess the emergency needs of developing countries. But the U.S. refusal to endorse the updates reflects a deeper skepticism toward global institutions under the Trump administration.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded to the U.S. decision in a statement posted on X, saying, “We regret the US decision to reject the amendments.” He also emphasized that the revisions “are clear about member states sovereignty,” and clarified that the WHO “cannot mandate lockdowns or similar measures.”

The amendments had emerged after member nations failed to agree on a more ambitious pandemic treaty. While most countries reached a treaty this May, the United States abstained, citing its ongoing withdrawal from the WHO. The Biden administration had previously engaged in the 2024 negotiations but refused to support a consensus deal due to concerns over protections for U.S. intellectual property rights related to vaccine development.

Rubio and Kennedy also criticized the WHO’s past conduct, stating the revised rules “fail to adequately address the WHO’s susceptibility to the political influence and censorship — most notably from China — during outbreaks.”

In response, Tedros defended the organization’s neutrality: “The body is impartial and works with all countries to improve people’s health,” he said.

Countries have until Saturday to formally raise objections to the amendments, which have also sparked backlash from conservative groups and vaccine skeptics in countries like Britain and Australia.