Femi Ashekun/
Days after signing an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organisation (WHO), former President Donald Trump is already considering a dramatic U-turn.
Speaking at a rally in Las Vegas’ Circa Resort & Casino on Saturday, Trump hinted he might rejoin the global health body—but only if it undergoes significant changes.
“I don’t know, they have to clean it up a bit,” Trump said, fueling speculation about a possible reversal. The former president reiterated his long-standing grievances with the organisation, accusing it of unfairly burdening the U.S. with disproportionate financial contributions.
“We’re paying $500 million a year while China pays just $39 million,” Trump remarked. “It’s onerous, and it’s unacceptable.”
Trump’s decision to withdraw, one of his first executive actions since returning to the Oval Office, reignited debates about the U.S.’s role in global health. Critics have warned the move could weaken America’s influence in international health policy and undermine global efforts to combat pandemics.
However, Trump defended his actions, calling the WHO “broken” and claiming the withdrawal was necessary due to the organization’s “failure to adopt urgently needed reforms.”
This isn’t Trump’s first clash with the WHO. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he attempted a similar withdrawal but was thwarted by incoming President Joe Biden.
Now, with the executive order officially signed, Trump appears to be using his leverage to push for change.
The president’s remarks come amid a flurry of controversial policy reversals, including placing all DEI employees in federal agencies on leave, revoking 78 Biden-era executive orders, and releasing classified documents related to the assassinations of JFK and MLK Jr.
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