President Donald Trump has placed an indefinite and “very powerful” hold on U.S. money for the World Health Organization after the organization has been proven to be repeatedly incorrect in its statements about China’s role in the coronavirus pandemic.
“The WHO receives vast amounts of money from the United States,” President Trump said during a press conference Tuesday.
The “hold” referenced by Trump is not tantamount to cutting funding to the WHO during the pandemic, but rather a temporary measure while the administration “looks very carefully” into the allocation of the funds.
“And they actually criticized and disagreed with my decision with my travel ban, and they were wrong, they’ve been wrong about a lot of things,” President Trump continued, adding, “They’ve been very China-centric.”
The President concluded, “We’re gonna be looking into that very carefully, and we’re going to be putting a hold on money spent to the WHO, we’re gonna put a very powerful hold on it, and we’re gonna see. [The WHO] is a great thing if it works, but when they call every shot wrong that’s no good.”
The video can be seen below.
WATCH: President Trump says the U.S. is putting a “very powerful hold” on money sent to the World Health Organization pic.twitter.com/22Yi0iGFHm
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 7, 2020
UPDATE: Trump later appear to clarify his remarks to mean that the United States would not be permanently stopping funds from being sent to the WHO, but rather they would be put on hold while the administration “looks into it.”
“I’m not saying I’m going to do it but we’re going to look at it,” President Trump said.
UPDATE:
"Is the time to freeze funding to the WHO during a pandemic?"
President Trump: "I'm not saying I'm going to do it but we're going to look at it." pic.twitter.com/kV03hSAtB7
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 7, 2020
The WHO has come under heavy criticism for its reluctance to stray from the Chinese Communist Party narrative about the events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, Japanese Vice PM Taro Aso blasted the WHO, saying it should be renamed the “Chinese Health Organization”:
Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and pro-Taiwan advocate Taro Aso had some harsh words for the World Health Organization and its compliance with Chinese Communist Party propaganda on Sunday.
Speaking to Japanese lawmakers, Taro Aso referenced a Change.org petition calling for the removal of WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Although the details are murky, the WHO’s previous Director General was a Chinese national, and at he time, there were complaints all around,” Taro Aso said.
“And now, at least, the petition has gathered three hundred thousand signatures, or rather, five hundred thousand signatures.”
“People think the World Health Organization should change its name. It shouldn’t be called the WHO, it should be renamed the Chinese Health Organization (CHO). This appeal is truly resonating with the people,” the vice PM said.
