WHO Begs Trump to Reverse Withdrawal After Executive Order Cuts Off U.S. Funding

The World Health Organization (WHO) responded to President Donald Trump‘s decision to withdraw the United States from the UN Health Organization by urging him to reverse the his executive order.

The withdrawal will save the U.S $500 million in spending annually.

Trump criticized the agency for its handling of COVID-19 while also noting that China pays only a small fraction – $39 million – compared to what the U.S. pays.

WHO serves as the e United Nation’s health agency and is responsible for global public health

WHO said it “regrets” Trump’s executive order but defended its work.

“WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go,” the organization said.

The agency also touted its so-called accomplishments, highlighting U.S. contributions to WHO’s work around the globe.

“For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats,” WHO said in a statement.

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“Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership of WHO.”

However, WHO failed to address Trump’s criticisms.

“With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries,” it said.

“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”

In 2020, Trump notified the UN about the proposed withdrawal “due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

“In addition, the WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments,” Trump said.

“China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300% of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90% less to the WHO.”

Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as White House COVID-19 response coordinator under Biden, said Trump’s withdrawal decision was a “strategic error.”

“WHO is a pretty essential organization — and with America’s withdrawal, it creates a political vacuum that only one country can fill — and that is China,” Jha told CNN.

The president said during a news conference on Monday that the U.S. had long been forced to overpay for WHO, and this practice ended now.

“We were paying $500 million. It seemed a little unfair to me,” he said.

“China pays $39 million and we pay $500 million and China’s a bigger country.”

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