WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to withdraw fromthe World Trade Organization (WTO), if it failed to “shape up”, criticizingthe international trading group’s treatment of the United States.

“If they don’t shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO,” President Trumptold Bloomberg news in an interview, airing his frustration and making suchremarks that he had only privately discussed but denied publically.

Since taking over the White House after the 2016 elections, President Trumphas rattled the world trade with his policies that he says are aimed atprotecting American interests, but which have alienated many of the US’ oldallies and major trading partners.

He has also criticized WTO previously, saying that the US has been “treatedvery badly” by the group. Trump has reportedly told his White House aidesthat he wanted to withdraw from the WTO, but this is the for the first timethat he has publically threatened to do so.

But according to a report by CNBC News, Trump’s top administrationofficials are less keen on quitting the global trade regulator. The reportquoted Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross as saying in July that the talk toleave WTO was “a little premature”.

If the US withdraws from WTO, it would upset the international trade systemset up decades ago and was supported by the US. It would also roil themarkets around the globe which are regulated by WTO regulations.

In a sign of growing frustration with the world trading body, the US onMonday said it plans to block the reappointment of one of its fourremaining judges that serve the organization, a move that could impair itsability to function.President Trump’s remarks against WTO come amid a number of trade scufflesthat the US has been engaged in that have not only impact trade-sensitivestocks, but has also roiled the world markets.

Many countries have complained to WTO about the US raising import tariffs,including China against which President Trump is reportedly planning toimpose $200 billion tariffs on Chinese imports as soon as next week, inaddition to billions of tariffs the US has already imposed on China.

In spite of its opposition to WTO, the US has been approaching WTO, seekingits assistance with retaliatory tariffs, imposed by China, the EuropeanUnion, Canada, Mexico and Turkey. All these countries have imposed tariffson American goods in response to duties imposed by the US on their exportsto the country.