The Trump administration has formally rejected amendments to the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR), citing concerns that the measures could undermine pro-life laws and infringe on U.S. sovereignty.
This is according to a joint statement issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on July 18.
The 2024 amendments, adopted by the World Health Assembly in June, were intended to strengthen global responses to public health emergencies. However, the administration argues they pose risks to American autonomy and constitutional protections, particularly in areas like abortion policy.
“Terminology throughout the 2024 amendments is vague and broad, risking WHO-coordinated international responses that focus on political issues like solidarity, rather than rapid and effective actions,” Rubio said in the joint statement. “Our Agencies have been and will continue to be clear: 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.”
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The amendments, developed without what U.S. officials describe as adequate public input, expand the WHO’s authority in declaring pandemics and facilitating “equitable access” to health commodities. Critics, including the Trump administration, argue that the WHO’s pro-abortion stance could lead to international pressure to weaken pro-life protections, such as laws criminalizing abortion, mandatory waiting periods, or third-party authorization requirements.
The WHO has previously called abortion an “essential” service and advocated for removing such regulations.
“The proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations open the door to the kind of narrative management, propaganda, and censorship that we saw during the COVID pandemic,” Kennedy said in a video message posted on X. “The United States can cooperate with other nations without kindizing our civil liberties, without undermining our Constitution, and without ceding away America’s treasured sovereignty.”
The IHR amendments were set to become binding on the United States by July 19, 2025, despite the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, initiated by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The formal rejection ensures that the U.S. will not be subject to these regulations, which the administration says could compel countries to adopt digital health documents, potentially paving the way for global medical surveillance.
The WHO’s stance on abortion has long been a point of contention for pro-life advocates.
The organization has asserted that abortion is a human right fundamental to “gender equality” and has pushed for expanded access through measures like telemedicine-based abortion and reduced safety standards. It has also opposed conscience protections for healthcare workers and institutions objecting to abortion on ethical grounds.
The rejection marks a continuation of the Trump administration’s efforts to distance the U.S. from WHO influence, following the executive order to withdraw from the pro-abortion organization earlier this year.
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Author: Steven Ertelt
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