Trump's Final Ultimatum to WHO: "Permanent Funding Cut if No Improvement Within 30 Days"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if the World Health Organization (WHO) fails to make substantial improvements within the next 30 days, the U.S. will permanently halt funding and reconsider whether to remain a member.

On the 18th (local time), President Trump disclosed the contents of a letter addressed to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus via Twitter.

Last month, President Trump suspended funding citing reasons such as China spreading false information regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) originating in China and failing in its management. Sending a separate letter to the WHO Director-General and making this public is interpreted as delivering a kind of final ultimatum.

President Trump stated, "The only way is to prove that WHO is independent from China," and added, "The U.S. government has already begun discussions on reforms with Director-General Tedros." He urged, "Action must be taken quickly," emphasizing, "We have no time to waste."

President Trump pointed out, "I cannot approve U.S. taxpayers funding an organization that clearly does not work for the interests of the United States." He claimed that while the U.S. government provides about $400 million to $500 million to WHO, China contributes only about $40 million.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

President Trump also criticized, "If WHO had sent experts to China to objectively assess the situation China was facing and pointed out issues with China's transparency, the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 could have been reduced."

CNN reported regarding President Trump's letter that "this threat came at a surprising time." It is unexpected that such an event occurred at a time when 318,000 people worldwide and 90,000 in the U.S. have died from COVID-19.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.