Gavin Newsom just announced that California will be the first state to join the World Health Organization. This is in direct defiance of Donald Trump, who just pulled the United States out of the organization.

In a bold move amid escalating tensions over international health policy, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that the state has become the first U.S. state to join the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

This decision comes just one day after President Donald Trump officially withdrew the United States from the WHO, citing concerns over the organization’s handling of global health crises and alleged biases.

Newsom, meeting with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized California’s commitment to global health cooperation.

“The Trump administration’s withdrawal from WHO is a reckless decision that will hurt all Californians and Americans,” Newsom stated in a press release. “California will not stand idly by—we’re stepping up to protect public health through international partnerships.”

The state’s participation in GOARN will allow it to contribute to and benefit from early warnings on disease outbreaks, data sharing, and response coordination, effectively bypassing the federal pullout.

The announcement has sparked widespread debate on social media, with supporters hailing it as a stand against federal isolationism. One viral post from progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen read: “Gavin Newsom just announced that California will be the first state to join the World Health Organization.

This is in direct defiance of Donald Trump, who just pulled the United States out of the organization. Raise your hand if you want Trump impeached immediately ✋.” Critics, however, argue that states lack authority to conduct independent foreign policy, potentially setting up legal clashes with the Trump administration.

While California’s move is limited to the GOARN network and not full WHO membership—which is reserved for sovereign nations—it signals a growing divide between progressive states and the federal government on global issues.

As of now, no other states have followed suit, but Newsom’s action could inspire similar initiatives amid ongoing health challenges worldwide.