What does Trump mean by rejoining the World Health Organization?

US President Donald Trump said on Jan. 25 that he is considering the possibility of the United States returning to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, just days ago, Trump signed an executive order announcing the withdrawal of the United States from the organization.

Speaking at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump said: "Maybe we'll look at getting in again, I don't know. Maybe we will. They're going to have to pick up the pieces." This suggests that Trump has an open but at the same time uncertain approach to rejoining the WHO. On the 20th, Trump signed an executive order announcing that the United States was "withdrawing from the community." The order accuses the WHO of mishandling its response to global health crises, failing to demonstrate its independence from "undue political influence" from member states, and "demanding unfairly burdensome costs" from the United States.

So why has Trump suddenly reconsidered joining the WHO? There may be multiple considerations behind this.

First, funding issues, as well as international clout, could be an important factor in Trump's reconsideration. The United States is by far the largest funder of WHO, contributing about 18 percent of total funding. Trump may realize that by withdrawing from the WHO, the United States will have less influence in global health, and rejoining the WHO will help the United States continue to play a leading role in global health affairs. In addition, the withdrawal of the United States also gives other countries an opportunity to fill the gap in their influence at the WHO, a trend that Trump may hope to stem by rejoining.

Second, Trump's statements may also be related to his political strategy. With the gesture, Trump sought to demonstrate his commitment to international health issues and preparedness for future pandemics. This could be seen as a realignment of domestic and foreign policy to appeal to a broader popular base.

Moreover, Trump's reconsideration of joining the WHO may also be related to his demands for reform of the WHO. He has repeatedly complained that the WHO is biased in favor of China, arguing that China's power and influence in the WHO has surpassed that of the United States. By rejoining the WHO, Trump may be hoping to push for reforms to the organization to reduce China's influence and boost the United States' standing. He may try to use American influence to change the decision-making mechanisms and direction of the WHO to better serve American interests.

In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that WHO hopes that cooperation with the United States can continue, and stressed that the contribution of the United States in global health cannot be ignored. Who is always looking forward to a constructive dialogue with the new US administration to sustain our partnership for the health and well-being of people around the world.

In any case, this latest statement by Trump has brought new uncertainties to the international community. As a global health agency, the effective functioning of WHO and broad international cooperation are essential to address the health challenges of the future. As a global power, the United States' support and engagement with WHO will undoubtedly have a significant impact on global health governance.

At present, Trump's reentry plan is still in the preliminary stage of consideration, and the specific implementation and conditions remain to be further observed. However, the development has sparked widespread international concern, with governments and public health experts watching the situation closely. The Trump administration needs to balance international cooperation with domestic politics to ensure global health security and America's standing in the world.