Trump Considers Rejoining the World Health Organization
Late Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he might reconsider rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO), just days after signing an executive order to initiate the country’s withdrawal.
“Maybe we would consider doing it again. I don’t know. Maybe we would have to clean it up a little bit,” Trump remarked during a rally in Las Vegas. He criticized the U.S. for contributing more financially to the WHO than China, despite its significantly larger population.
On Monday, Trump formalized the decision to leave the WHO, citing dissatisfaction with its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. This marks his second attempt to sever ties with the international health body.
The U.S. departure will strip the WHO of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, potentially hampering its ability to address infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. In response to the funding gap, the organization has begun freezing recruitment and cutting travel, as detailed in an internal email obtained by POLITICO.
The withdrawal also risks cutting the U.S. off from crucial global health initiatives, including access to the network responsible for determining the annual flu vaccine composition.
