Sacramento, California — California has become the first U.S. state to formally join a World Health Organization disease response network following the federal government’s withdrawal from the global body, a move that highlights the growing divide between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states on public health policy.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that California will join the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), just one day after the United States officially ended its nearly 80-year membership in the WHO. The announcement came during Newsom’s trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he met with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In a statement, Newsom framed the move as a response to what he described as a dangerous retreat from international cooperation. He said California’s participation in GOARN would strengthen the state’s public health preparedness and improve coordination with global partners during disease outbreaks. The governor argued that disengagement from the WHO could have consequences for both Californians and Americans more broadly.
GOARN is a collaborative network designed to detect, assess, and respond rapidly to infectious disease threats worldwide. California’s membership makes it the only U.S. state currently participating in the network.
The decision follows a broader pattern of California distancing itself from federal health policy since the start of Trump’s second term. The state has joined other Democratic-led states in launching initiatives such as the West Coast Health Alliance and the Governors Public Health Alliance, both aimed at coordinating public health strategies independent of the White House.
The Trump administration has defended the WHO withdrawal as necessary, citing concerns about sovereignty and international accountability.
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