President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would withhold funding to the World Health Organization pending an investigation of WHO’s coronavirus response. Trump has been critical of WHO since the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic, claiming the global agency has had a “China-centric” approach to preventing the virus from spreading.
The United States gives more money to WHO annually than any other nation. World leaders and other prominent political figures are among thousands on Twitter who have criticized the president’s actions amid such turbulent times in the world’s history. Some argue that halting funds to WHO is a reckless decision when people’s lives are at stake, while others praise the decision.
Here is a glimpse at the varied sentiments surrounding Trump’s relationship with #WHO:
Exactly right @realDonaldTrump. The #WHO has become a propaganda arm of the #China Communist Party and is filled with CCP apologists. It has failed the world in this emergency https://t.co/LOuIppJOuZ
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 14, 2020
The largest professional association of physicians, the American Medical Association, labeled President #Trump’s announcement Tuesday that he will put a hold on funding for the World Health Organization “dangerous.” @WHO #WHO #COVID19
— Michael Holmes (@holmescnn) April 14, 2020
Cutting funding for #WHO, which helps coordinate response to global pandemics, is like blaming the ER doctors for an accident you got in — and then slashing surgeons’ salaries as they operate on you.@realDonaldTrump please stop looking for scapegoats.
Start doing your job.
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) April 14, 2020
The #UnitedStates has halted funding to the @WHO. It’s about time. The #WHO’s bloated bureaucracy is just a propaganda promoter for the #Communists in #China. Perhaps the only welcomed victim of #COVID19 is the #WorldHealthOrganization.#WHOLiedPeopleDied. pic.twitter.com/MVbNaKM5KL
— Prof. Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) April 14, 2020
Trump’s act of withholding funds to the W.H.O. during a pandemic is a colossal crime against humanity. This is psychopathy looking for a scapegoat. Trump is doing Putin’s bidding. DO NOT LISTEN!#WHO #Coronavirus #COVID19
— Dr. Jack Brown (@DrGJackBrown) April 14, 2020
Some facts about the U.S. contributions to the #WHO:
— We contributed $893 million for the 2018-2019 two-year cycle.
— $656 million was voluntary contributions (America’s generous).
— China only gave around $86 million for the same cycle. https://t.co/MvZ6RnXIB1— John Cooper (@thejcoop) April 14, 2020