Politico | Donald Trump picks World Bank sceptic David Malpass to lead institution
- The US has historically been allowed to choose the head of the World Bank
- Malpass has been a major player in trade talks with China
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Victoria Guida and Ben White on politico.com on February 4, 2019.
US President Donald Trump is expected to tap Treasury Department official David Malpass as the US pick to lead the World Bank, according to senior administration officials, a clear sign the administration wants to rein in the international financial institution.
Malpass, Treasury’s undersecretary for international affairs, has said global organisations like the World Bank “have grown larger and more intrusive” and “the challenge of refocusing them has become urgent and more difficult”.
The institution aims to reduce global poverty by making loans, with a sizeable portion flowing to China and India.
The administration plans to announce its pick on Wednesday, the official said.