---
title: "Argentina to withdraw from WHO after Trump exit, citing 'deep differences'"
description: "BUENOS AIRES, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Argentina will pull out of the World Health Organization (WHO), a presidential spokesperson said on Wednesday, following President Donald Trump's executive order last month to pull the United States out of the global health group."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Health"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-06-argentina-to-withdraw-from-who-after-trump-exit-citing-deep-differences/"
published: "2025-02-06T01:10:35"
updated: "2025-02-06T01:10:37"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 116
---

# Argentina to withdraw from WHO after Trump exit, citing 'deep differences'

> BUENOS AIRES, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Argentina will pull out of the World Health Organization (WHO), a presidential spokesperson said on Wednesday, following President Donald Trump's executive order last month to pull the United States out of the global health group.

By Reuters · Published 6 February 2025, 03:10 SAST · Updated 6 February 2025, 03:10 SAST

## Key points
- In a tango of political discontent, Argentina's new libertarian president Javier Milei has decided to cut ties with the WHO on day one, echoing Trump’s past grievances about the agency's pandemic performance and its alleged political puppetry, proving that when it comes to global health, some leaders prefer to dance solo.
- Argentina's President Javier Milei ordered the country's withdrawal from the WHO, citing "deep differences" over its COVID-19 management.
- The decision reflects Milei's alignment with former President Trump, who also criticized the WHO's handling of health crises.
- Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni highlighted concerns over the WHO's political independence and the impact of Argentina's previous lockdown.
- Trump's exit from the WHO on his first day in office echoed similar sentiments regarding the organization's funding and operational issues.

## Content

Trump, who Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei considers a close ally, moved to exit the organization on his first day in office on January 20.

Milei ordered Argentina's withdrawal because of "deep differences" regarding the WHO's management of health issues, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni said, citing Argentina's months-long lockdown under the previous leftist government.

Adorni also cited a "a lack of independence from the political influence of other states."

Trump similarly claimed the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises, and that it required "unfairly onerous" payments from the United States, its biggest funder.

(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Christina Fincher)