Media reported on WHO's suspension of hiring after US withdrawal from the organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) is freezing recruitment and cutting back on travel following the U.S. withdrawal from the organization, according to an internal email that made its way to Politico.

"WHO is freezing recruitment except in the most critical areas and significantly reducing travel," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told staff in an email.

He said the U.S. withdrawal from the organization has exacerbated the financial situation and caused serious anxiety and uncertainty among WHO staff.

"As you are aware, the US has announced its intention to withdraw from WHO. We regret this decision and hope that the new administration will reconsider," the director general said.

All meetings should now be conducted entirely virtually, except in some cases, and technical support missions to countries should be "limited to the most essential," the letter said.

Other measures include restrictions on replacing electronic equipment, renegotiating major contracts and suspending office renovations and capital investments unless required for security or cost-cutting purposes, it wrote.

On Jan. 21, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the WHO. He noted that the United States during his first presidential term gave $500 million a year in contributions to the organization, while China gave $39 million. The American leader noted that the population of the PRC exceeds the number of people living in America, but despite this, China transfers many times less money to the WHO.

In 2020, during his previous presidential term, Trump accused the WHO of ineffective fight against the coronavirus and influence from China on the organization's activities. On those grounds, he first announced the suspension of US funding for the WHO and then the country's withdrawal. A few months later, Joe Biden reversed this decision on the day of his inauguration.