U.S. President Donald Trump has stopped funding the World Health Organisation, blaming it for America’s coronavirus pandemic woes.
Trump announced the move on Tuesday at a Rose Garden press conference.
The U.S. leader had mulled the idea before and dubbed WHO China-centric.
“The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion,” Trump said.
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“With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible,” Trump added.
The U.S. is the largest contributor to WHO. It paid more than $400 million to the WHO in 2019.
China is the second largest contributor.
It paid $44 million, according to Reuters.
Trump last week accused WHO of not moving quickly enough to sound the alarm over COVID-19 and of being too China friendly.
He attacked the agency for advising the U.S. against banning travel from China to other parts of the world amid the outbreak.
“And the World – WHO – World Health got it wrong,” he said last week.
“I mean, they got it very wrong. In many ways, they were wrong. They also minimised the threat very strongly and – not good.”
