(VOVWORLD) - US President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to permanently halt funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) and to reconsider his country’s membership of the agency.
Trump suspended US contributions to the WHO last month, accusing it of promoting Chinese “disinformation” about the novel coronavirus outbreak, although WHO officials denied the accusation and China said it was transparent and open.
If the WHO does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days, he will make his temporary freeze of United States funding to the WHO permanent and reconsider the US’s membership, Trump told its chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a letter posted on Twitter.
Trump also made various accusations against China in the letter including that it tried to block evidence the virus could be transmitted between people, pressed the WHO not to declare it an emergency, refused to share data and samples and denied access to its scientists and facilities.
The United States contributed more than 400 million USD to the WHO in 2019, or about 15% of its budget.