Trump Orders Suspension of WHO Funding... "Must Be Held Accountable for Failing to Fulfill Core Responsibilities" (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] U.S. President Donald Trump has abruptly ordered the suspension of funding to international organizations, citing the World Health Organization's (WHO) bias toward China. This amounts to a declaration of all-out war against the international organization leading global health issues amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and a strong backlash is expected.

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According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 14th (local time), President Trump announced at a press conference held in the White House Rose Garden that funding to the WHO would be suspended during a review process.

On that day, President Trump said, "This review will examine the role WHO played in concealing the spread of COVID-19 and responding improperly," adding, "WHO failed to fulfill its basic duties and must be held accountable."

He continued, "If WHO had properly investigated the reports coming from China, COVID-19 could have been more contained and many lives saved," criticizing, "WHO promoted China's false information about COVID-19, leading to a wider spread."

At the same time, President Trump expressed his intention to continue engaging with WHO for meaningful reforms.

President Trump's announcement to suspend funding to WHO came eight days after he mentioned on the 7th that he was considering withholding funds.

At that time, President Trump said, "WHO disagrees with and criticizes the travel ban on China," adding, "We will look into what we are paying for," using the withholding of funds as leverage.

In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus directly rebutted on the 8th, saying, "Do not politicize the virus," leading to a direct confrontation.

Afterward, President Trump repeatedly asserted WHO's bias toward China, saying, "China spends $42 million, and we spend $450 million, but everything seems to be going China's way."

However, this drastic measure by the Trump administration threatens to strangle an international organization at a time when the world is making every effort to respond to COVID-19, likely sparking fierce controversy.

Furthermore, some critics argue that the Trump administration, facing strong backlash over its poor initial response, is deflecting blame externally to shift the narrative.

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