Trump’s decision to cut WHO funding met with astonishment

US president Donald Trump's decision to suspend funding for the World Health Organisation was met with widespread condemnation on Wednesday, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world topped two million.

Mr Trump announced at a White House press conference that he would stop funding the UN body pending a review that could last up to 90 days.

The review would assess the organisation’s role in “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus”, he said. “Had the WHO done its job ... the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death.”

Mr Trump took issue in particular with the organisation's initial criticism of his decision to halt flights from China on January 31st – a move that the president has repeatedly highlighted as he faces mounting criticism domestically of how his administration has handled the pandemic.

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WHO critics have pointed to a tweet sent by the Geneva-based body on January 14th that said there was “no clear evidence” of human-to-human transmission of the virus, though privately it was advising countries that such transmission was still a strong possibility.

Astonished response

Although the WHO has attracted criticism from some quarters about its response to the crisis, and accusations that it is too heavily influenced by China, Mr Trump's decision to stop funding the pre-eminent global health organisation in the middle of a pandemic was greeted with astonishment across the globe. Bill Gates, a major donor to the WHO, said the move was "as dangerous as it sounds".

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there was “no reason justifying this at a moment” when the US’s efforts were needed more than ever to help contain the pandemic.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney used particularly strong language in condemning the move, describing it as "indefensible".

“Now is a time for global leadership & unity to save lives, not division and blame,” he tweeted.

In the United States the response fell broadly along party lines, with most Republicans supporting Mr Trump's move. But as immediate questions were raised about Mr Trump's ability to stop the funding without Congress's approval, House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi described the decision as "dangerous, illegal", adding that it would be "swiftly challenged".

More than 25,000 people in the United States have lost their lives to coronavirus. New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo announced 752 new deaths in the state on Wednesday, but he said there were signs the death rate was stabilising.