
Trump’s Global Health Pullback Creates Leadership Opportunity for Europe
Key Takeaways
- The US reduction in global health funding has strained international health systems, with Europe stepping up to fill the void.
- Europe has an opportunity to strengthen its role in global health governance amid US disengagement, but political and financial support must be sustained.
The Trump administration's policies reshape global health dynamics, presenting Europe with both challenges and opportunities for leadership in health governance.
The Trump administration’s “America First” approach may be rooted in domestic priorities, but its ripple effects are being felt well beyond US borders—especially in Europe’s health systems. According to new research
One major concern highlighted in the research is the steep drop in US support for global health programs. The second Trump administration slashed funding for key international initiatives, including
Yet, this US pullback also leaves a leadership vacuum—and Europe appears ready to fill it. The new study noted that countries like the UK and the Netherlands have made early moves, increased their global health commitments, and positioned themselves as champions of reproductive rights and pandemic preparedness. The shift gives Europe a rare opportunity to strengthen its voice in international health governance—if political momentum and financial support hold.
“European countries and the EU, nevertheless, have a lot to work with…. They are among the world's largest economies, have a strong commitment to multilateralism, and powerful policy tools as well as opportunities that will emerge if the US becomes a less predictable ally, research collaborator, or employment market. They can link issues as well as the US, defending their policy interests and challenging the US, and build new alliances,” the authors wrote.
Domestically, US policy changes are creating indirect pressures on European health systems, particularly through economic channels. The research pointed to how the Trump administration’s
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Still, there are limits. Reduced collaboration, strained funding, and shifting geopolitical alliances could stall progress on shared priorities—from global immunization efforts to antimicrobial resistance strategies. Without US partnership, some initiatives may struggle to maintain scale or impact, forcing European leaders to rethink how they approach global health partnerships.
The authors explained, “The new Trump administration will be a serious challenge for Europe and its multilateral approach to world politics. Assimilating global health to a narrow, right wing, American nationalist agenda, it threatens everything from the supply chain for medicinal products to major flows of refugees caused by increased war and climate change…. European commitments to multilateralism and international rules, however much they have been critiqued, could be the basis for deepening relationships with
While some effects, like funding cuts and economic uncertainty, pose clear risks, others open the door for the EU to assume a more active role in global health leadership. The challenge ahead, as emphasized in the study, is not just in filling gaps, but in seizing the moment to build a more resilient, autonomous, and forward-looking health policy strategy.
References
1. Greer SL, Jarman H, Kulikoff R, Panteli D, van Ginneken E, Wismar M. The second Trump administration: a policy analysis of challenges and opportunities for European health policymakers. Health Policy. Published online May 18, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2025.105350
2. Bonavitacola J. End of PEPFAR funding could lead to tens of thousands of HIV deaths. AJMC®. July 8, 2025. July 11, 2025.
3. At least 9 nations pledge support to Dutch-led fund aiming to fill funding gap left by Mexico City policy reinstatement. KFF. February 21, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2025.
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