Trump’s ‘catastrophic’ decision left these doctors in panic and tears
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"[This] is an absolutely catastrophic and disastrous decision that has real implications for global and public health. It will leave the United States at a significant disadvantage the next time a pandemic comes around. And I say the next time, because it’s a matter of when, not if.” — Eric Burnett, MD, @dr.eric.b
"ICU RN here with PTSD from being a COVID ICU nurse, I sobbed. I can’t do this. I’m now desperately applying to leave my job that I love." — RN @kaitnicole16
President Donald Trump announced the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, a controversial move on his first day returning to the White House. The decision, outlined in an executive order, cited concerns over the organization’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged political influences, and the need for structural reforms.[]
This isn’t the first time Trump has sought to sever ties with the WHO. In 2020, his administration began a similar withdrawal during the height of the pandemic, only for President Joe Biden to reverse course shortly after taking office. Critics, including public health leaders, argue that withdrawal risks compromising the US's influence on global health initiatives.
Doctors and other public health experts are expressing their disdain for Trump’s decision on their social media channels. “As a doctor I’m here to tell you that that is an absolutely catastrophic and disastrous decision that has real implications for global and public health,” says Eric Burnett, MD, (@dr.eric.b) in a video. “It will leave the United States at a significant disadvantage the next time a pandemic comes around. And I say the next time, because it’s a matter of when, not if.”
@dr.eric.b This is why I (as a doctor) talk about politics. #fyp ♬ original sound - Eric
Other healthcare workers express similar fears in the comments:
“ICU RN here with PTSD from being a COVID ICU nurse, I sobbed. I can’t do this. I’m now desperately applying to leave my job that I love,” says one. Another writes: “As a public health professional who currently works in a hospital setting, I’m terrified.”
Similar sentiments are being shared by doctors on Reddit (in the channel r/medicine—a channel only open to verified physicians). Pediatrician @Dr.Autumnwind said, “US [is] turning its back on the entity that successfully brought about the end of smallpox.”
Family medicine physician @sulaymanf commented, “My business partner [and fellow physician] who voted for Trump says he is shocked and disappointed that Trump would do this. I asked him how he’s shocked that Trump would do something he promised he would do during the campaign? He sheepishly said that he assumed Trump’s advisors would talk him out of it.”
Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, labeled the decision a “strategic error,” warning it could empower China to fill the leadership vacuum left by the US.[] He noted that US contributions—financial and technical—are vital for the WHO’s work, particularly in tracking influenza and coordinating responses to health crises.
As the situation develops, questions remain about how this decision will impact global health governance and whether it signals a broader retreat from multilateral cooperation. For now, the healthcare community is left grappling with the potential consequences of reduced US engagement in shaping international health policies.