How will Trump’s return to the White House change the face of global health?

January 17, 2025

*This article originally appeared on NPR Goats and Soda.

Donald Trump is just days away from the beginning of his second presidential term. His return to power has the potential to dramatically reshape the global health landscape.

Right now, the U.S. is the single largest donor to global health in the world, pouring more than $10 billion this past fiscal year into international health efforts. While that number represents less than 1% of the total U.S. spending, millions of people worldwide are directly impacted by it. The money supports a vast range of efforts, from a million mpox vaccines shipped to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to monitoring for influenza in Chile.

While there are unknowns – for example, Trump has not yet named a nominee to run the U.S. Agency for International Development – his previous administration and pre-inaugural statements offer clear indications on where he stands.

Changes are expected — but not immediately, perhaps. Even an executive order or policy statement on day one takes time to implement. “It’s not like magic, like wave the presidential pen and then everything has changed,” says Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, president and CEO of the Global Health Council, a nonpartisan group that advocates for global health.

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