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Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Trump halts World Health Organization funding over handling of coronavirus outbreak

Author:     Betsy Klein and Jennifer Hansler
Source:     CNN
Publication Date:     Tuesday 14 April 2020 8 p.m. ET
 Link: Trump halts World Health Organization funding over handling of coronavirus outbreak
Stephan:   One thing you can always be sure of, Trump will try to shift the blame for his incompetence to someone else, or some organization. But this is a particularly despicable act on his part, that is going to have long term negative international consequences. The stature of the United States has been so badly damaged by Trump it may take years to restore it; if that is even possible.

President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 13, 2020, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he is halting funding to the World Health Organization while a review is conducted.

Trump said the review would cover the WHO’s “role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus.”
Trump’s announcement comes in the middle of the worst global pandemic in decades and as he angrily defends his own handling of the outbreak in the United States.
Amid swirling questions about whether he downplayed the crisis or ignored warnings from members of his administration about its potential severity, Trump has sought to assign blame elsewhere, including at the WHO and in the news media.
The US funds $400 million to $500 million to the WHO each year, Trump said, noting that China “contributes roughly $40 million.”