President Donald Trump recently expressed openness to potentially rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO) after signing an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the international group. During a rally in Las Vegas, Trump highlighted the disparity in contributions between the U.S. and China, with the U.S. paying $500 million annually compared to China's $39 million, despite China's larger population.
An analysis by NPR revealed that the U.S. contributes approximately 10% of the WHO's budget, while China contributes around 3%. Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO was based on concerns about the organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of reforms, and what he deemed as unfair financial burdens on the U.S.
Trump's stance on international contributions extended to NATO, where he urged member nations to increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP, above the 2% threshold set in 2014. Trump criticized countries like Spain, Italy, and Canada for not meeting the 2% requirement, questioning the U.S.'s financial commitment to NATO.
While Trump acknowledged the importance of supporting NATO allies, he raised doubts about the U.S. continuing to spend on the alliance if other members did not reciprocate the support. The White House declined to comment on the matter.
