President Trump signed executive order began the process of withdrawing the USA from the World Health Organization. It was among dozens of executive actions he signed after being sworn in for a second term on Monday, on issues ranging from immigration to foreign policy to climate change.

It was the second time in less than five years that he ordered a country to withdraw from the organization, despite a move that many scientists fear could undo decades of progress in fighting infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Experts also warn that the move could weaken the world’s defenses against dangerous new epidemics that can cause pandemics.

In 2020, the WHO was heavily criticized by Mr. Because of Trump his answer on COVID 19 pandemic, which turned into a global health crisis during the last year of his first term.

The White House said in a statement that the US would withdraw “due to the organization’s poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic originating in Wuhan, China and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

He also accused the WHO of demanding “unfairly heavy payments from the United States, far out of proportion to estimated payments from other countries.”

The order stated that Mr. Trump sends a presidential letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to formally inform him of the US withdrawal plan.