Trump threatens WHO he will take 'action' next week after exaggerating amount US contributes to budget

President's stated funding amount towers over reality as he teases WHO changes next week

Donald Trump is threatening a major shakeup of the World Health Organisation after criticising it for missing the coronavirus outbreak and complaining the United States pays far more than other countries like China.

Mr Trump campaigned on the United States, in his view, paying too much into NATO coffers, and also criticised the World Trade Organisation. But while he pushed for funding changes, the president did not move to essentially terminate either global entity.

He told reporters during his daily coronavirus briefing that he will discuss potential WHO reforms "next week," suggesting any changes might be related to how much Washington gives the organisation annually.

But in doing so, he exaggerated – again – the US funding contribution.

Mr Trump continues saying, depending on the year, that Washington pays $500m or $400m or $300m into the group. But budget documents show the US was slated to give the WHO around $120m in 2020 and his administration is proposing to cut that amount by half in 2021.

The organisation's leader this week responded to Mr Trump's criticisms by saying now would not be "the time" for a US funding reduction amid a pandemic.

One of Mr Trump's top Senate GOP allies, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who chairs a subcommittee that oversees that chamber's spending legislation that includes the WHO funding line. He says he will propose stripping it out – but final yearly spending measures are months from being finalised and Democrats, who generally favour global entities, run the House.