President Donald Trump confirmed Monday at the White House that he was considering giving the World Health Organization (WHO) $40 million instead of completely cutting funding from the United States.
In 2009, the United States sent about $450 million to the WHO, while China only sent about $40 million.
“I was thinking about taking our 450 (million) down to 40 (million),” Trump said, referring to possible future funds to the WHO. “So we will make a decision fairly soon.”
Trump commented during an event at the White House with restaurant owners suffering from the effects of the coronavirus economic shutdown. He said he was considering sending the WHO some money, despite criticism from supporters for allowing the organization to get any taxpayer dollars.
Trump announced in April his decision to freeze funds to the organization because of their failure to properly warn the world about the coronavirus.
But Trump said that the WHO had failed its mission when it came to the virus.
“They’re a puppet of China, they’re China-centric, to put it nicer,” he said.
He noted that the WHO also advised against his January travel ban on people coming from China into the United States.
“They gave us a lot of bad advice,” he said.
He confirmed reports that he turned down the opportunity to address the WHO, an invitation that Chinese President Xi Jinping accepted.
“I chose not to make a statement today,” he said. I will be giving them a statement sometime in the near future. I chose not to give a statement.”
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