Days after signing an executive order to exit the World Health Organization (WHO), US President Donald Trump said that he may consider rejoining the global health agency.
“Maybe we would consider doing it again, I don’t know. Maybe we would. They would have to clean it up,” Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas.
Trump had ordered exit from the global health agency over what he described as a mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises. The U.S. is scheduled to leave the WHO on Jan. 22, 2026. Trump announced the move on Monday after he was sworn in for a second term in the White House.
The U.S. is by far the biggest financial backer of the WHO, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. The WHO’s most recent two-year budget, for 2024-2025, was $6.8 billion.
According to a report by news agency Reuters, Trump told the crowd in Las Vegas he was unhappy that the U.S. paid more into the WHO than China, which has a much bigger population.
He added that he will ask Saudi Arabia to make an investment of about $1 trillion in the U.S., up from the $600 billion the Saudis have pledged to invest. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Trump in the past week that the kingdom wants to put $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the U.S. over the next four years.
(With inputs from Reuters)