By JWright |April 15, 2020
What’s Happening:
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. would immediately halt all WHO funding, saying the group prioritized “political correctness over lifesaving measures.”
He confirmed a 60-to-90 day investigation: he wants answers to the organization’s “severely mismanaging and covering up” of the current epidemic.
Responses to Trump’s decision came in quickly, with Republicans generally supporting his decision. However, most Democrats and global organizations disagreed with the move.
Why it’s important:
The U.S. is the WHO’s largest donor: we contribute between $400 and $500 million every year. This is about ten times China’s contribution.
Trump says the money that would’ve gone to the WHO will now go to people who “most need it.”
Senators such as Rick Scott applauded Trump’s move: “This was the right move and I look forward to a full Congressional investigation into the WHO.”
However, two Democrats – House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and House Subcommittee on National Security Chairman Steven Lynch (D-Mass.) – sent a scathing letter to POTUS. Here is an excerpt:
While we may agree that the WHO has shortcomings that must be corrected, your attack on the global health organization can easily be seen as a deliberate but transparent effort to deflect responsibility for your own failures onto others.
Besides Democrats weighing in, the American Medical Association (AMA) stated Trump’s defunding “is a dangerous step in the wrong direction.”
Shortly afterward, the United Nation’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres weighed in: “It is my belief that the World Health Organization must be supported, as it is absolutely critical to the world’s efforts to win the war against COVID-19.”
The European Union was also critical of Trump’s move.
President Trump has announced a halt to funding for the World Health Organization (WHO).
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. would immediately halt all WHO funding, saying the group prioritized “political correctness over lifesaving measures.”
He confirmed a 60-to-90 day investigation: he wants answers to the organization’s “severely mismanaging and covering up” of the current epidemic.
Responses to Trump’s decision came in quickly, with Republicans generally supporting his decision. However, most Democrats and global organizations disagreed with the move.
Why it’s important:
The U.S. is the WHO’s largest donor: we contribute between $400 and $500 million every year. This is about ten times China’s contribution.
Trump says the money that would’ve gone to the WHO will now go to people who “most need it.”
Senators such as Rick Scott applauded Trump’s move: “This was the right move and I look forward to a full Congressional investigation into the WHO.”
However, two Democrats – House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and House Subcommittee on National Security Chairman Steven Lynch (D-Mass.) – sent a scathing letter to POTUS. Here is an excerpt:
While we may agree that the WHO has shortcomings that must be corrected, your attack on the global health organization can easily be seen as a deliberate but transparent effort to deflect responsibility for your own failures onto others.
Besides Democrats weighing in, the American Medical Association (AMA) stated Trump’s defunding “is a dangerous step in the wrong direction.”
Shortly afterward, the United Nation’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres weighed in: “It is my belief that the World Health Organization must be supported, as it is absolutely critical to the world’s efforts to win the war against COVID-19.”
The European Union was also critical of Trump’s move.
Key Takeaways:
President Trump has announced a halt to funding for the World Health Organization (WHO).
Trump believes the WHO should be investigated for “severely mismanaging” the COVID pandemic.
This move has created a gap between Republicans and Democrats, and has drawn the ire of the EU, UN and the AMA.
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