(The Center Square) – The U.S. is withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move threatened by President Donald Trump in May and formalized this week.

The White House sent notification to the United Nations secretary general. The withdrawal is effective July 6, 2021.

In April, Trump threatened to withhold U.S. taxpayer funding from WHO without reforms. He has been critical of WHO since February, saying it inappropriately criticized him for his early flight restrictions on air travel from China to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. He also said WHO enabled China's cover-up of the novel coronavirus' origins.

In May, Trump said the U.S. would withdraw from the organization.

"We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly but they have refused to act," Trump said during a May news conference. "Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs."

Notice of the withdrawal comes as COVID-19 cases are increasing across the country. As of Monday, nearly 3 million people have tested positive for the respiratory disease in the U.S. More than 130,000 have died.