LAS VEGAS - President Donald Trump said on Saturday (Jan 25) he may consider rejoining the World Health Organisation, days after ordering a US exit from the global health agency over what he described as a mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and other international health crises.
"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.
The US 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 US is by far the biggest financial backer of the WHO, contributing around 18 per cent of its overall funding. The WHO's most recent two-year budget, for 2024-2025, was US$6.8 billion (S$9 billion).
Trump told the crowd in Las Vegas he was unhappy that the US 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 US$1 trillion in the US, up from the US$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 US$600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the US over the next four years.
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