--- title: "Biden Says He’ll Rejoin World Health Organization on First Day of Presidency" description: "Joe Biden has promised to rejoin the World Health Organization, reversing Donald Trump's decision. Learn what this means for the WHO." date: "2020-11-06" modified: "2020-11-11" authors: - name: "Jon Christian" job_title: "Executive Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/biden-rejoin-world-health-organization" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "coronavirus" - "covid" - "joe biden" - "politics" --- # Biden Says He’ll Rejoin World Health Organization on First Day of Presidency ![Biden promised to reverse the incumbent Donald Trump's controversial April decision to leave the World Health Organization.]() *\Image: Futurism\* As of this morning, it's looking [overwhelmingly likely]() that Democratic contender Joe Biden will win the presidential election. If that comes to pass, and he's sworn into office on January 20, 2021, he's already committed to a laundry list of future-facing policy changes in the realm of science and technology, from [rejoining the Paris climate accords]() to [reinstating net neutrality](). Another of Biden's promises will have particular significance during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Back in July, he [promised to reverse]() the incumbent Donald Trump's [controversial April decision]() to leave the World Health Organization — the United Nations' agency that oversees and coordinates global public health efforts. "Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health," Biden [said at the time](). "On my first day as President, I will rejoin the WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage." The move wouldn't just be a rebuke to his predecessor. Experts [called the move]() a "dangerous gamble" and "unequivocally dangerous," and entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates [slammed the move]() as being "as dangerous as it sounds." Leaving the WHO seemed particularly reckless in the United States, where the pandemic had already spiraled out of control, surpassing the toll even in China, where it originated. COVID deaths in the US have now surged past 235,000, and daily infections are now [hitting daily record highs]() — harbingers of what could be a brutal period of weeks or months during the waning days of the Trump administration. Biden's [plan to fight the pandemic]() once he's in office include widespread free testing, support for the development and distribution of a vaccine, and an economic stimulus to help workers in the flailing economy. He's also committed to common sense measures that have eluded the Trump administration, including daily reports from the White House and empowering federal agencies to help with the effort. It's likely, though, that Biden will inherit a [disastrous domestic COVID scenario]() after a [sporadic and chaotic response]() by the Trump administration — the first and perhaps most difficult challenge of his presidency. ## Author I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()