President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he is halting funding to the World Health Organization while a review is conducted.
Trump said the review would cover the WHO's "role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus."
Trump's announcement comes in the middle of the worst global pandemic in decades and as he angrily defends his own handling of the outbreak in the United States.
“The W.H.O. pushed China’s misinformation about the virus,” President Trump said at a news conference at the White House, adding that the administration was conducting a review of the W.H.O.’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly pointed to his decision to impose travel restrictions on China as proof that he responded early to warnings about the dangers of the coronavirus.
He said that decision saved “thousands and thousands of lives,” and the W.H.O. “fought us.” The president blamed the organization for a “20-fold” increase in cases worldwide.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus the Director-General of the World Health Organisation posted on social media that Trump's halt of funds threat was political rhetoric.
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