WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to withdraw the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

"World Health ripped us off. Everybody rips off the United States, and that's it. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump told reporters while signing executive orders after returning to the Oval Office.

Trump was sworn in for a second term, heralding a major shift in the US government that is widely expected to send shockwaves through American society and the world.

Trump said the US paid $500 million to the UN body.

"Seemed a little unfair to me, so that wasn't the reason, but I dropped out...China pays $39 million, and we pay $500 million, and China's a bigger country," he said.

--BERNAMA-AA