First, the tears, from a "Director, WHO Center on Global Health Law":
Lawrence Gostin
@LawrenceGostin
Trump made a unilateral decision to pull out of WHO. But we joined WHO in 1948 by an act of Congress. Trump needs Congress' approval to withdraw. His decision is too catastrophic to be made without Congress and the courts. As director of a WHO Center, I am considering a lawsuit.
10:01 PM · Jan 20, 2025
Then the rational response from a law professor:
Eugene Kontorovich
@EVKontorovich
This is a legally baseless position. Congress did not join WHO, it "authorized" the President to join. Just like a president does not need Senate ratification to quit a senate-ratified treaty, he doesn't need congressional "permission" to quit here. Indeed, the 1948 resolution makes clear U.S. has a right to withdraw in same way it would any other int'l agreement.
4:51 AM · Jan 23, 2025