The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank rarely capture headlines outside periods of significant upheaval. A Google search for debt-laden Argentina, for instance, is as likely to bring up articles about IMF loans as it is to celebrate Lionel Messi's latest football triumph.

The IMF's latest $20 billion (€17.4 billion) debt relief for Argentina, its largest debtor nation, was announced last week to help libertarian President Javier Milei continue reforming the South American country's economy after decades of wasteful spending.

However, the World Bank's work tends to fly under the radar. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it quietly delivered $170 billion in loans and grants to over 100 countries, according to its website, reaching some 70% of the world's population.

As the IMF and World Bank convene for their Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, from Thursday, they face significant uncertainty. First, US President Donald Trump's tariff policy is threatening to derail global economic growth. Second, the future of the United States backing of these organizations is up for question.

Speculation has been rife since Project 2025, a hard-right Republican policy framework tied to Trump's second term, proposed a US withdrawal from both institutions, labeling........

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