At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Tedros, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) called for solidarity in our global response. While the call has echoed in various World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions and other major public health commitments, many responses (local, national, and global) to the pandemic have seen shortfalls in solidarity. This viewpoint uses the COVID-19 pandemic to explore the roots of solidarity and trust and the political, economic, and social values and forces that shape it. The shortfall in our pandemic response exposes the limits and conditions of solidarity. However, we argue that solidary can be strengthened to contribute to global health security. Lastly, we reflect on the importance of solidarity in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery and the implications for public health practice.