On Tuesday, the United States began the process of exiting the World Health Organization, according to Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). He stated on Twitter that President Trump had formally notified Congress that day of the action. Withdrawing from the organization will take a full year to enact, meaning the ultimate future of the relationship will be in the hands of the 2020 presidential election winner.
Trump cut U.S. funding for the organization this May. Following weeks of criticism of the body, Trump announced he was breaking off the relationship and “redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.” American taxpayers have spent more than $3.5 billion funding the organization since just 2010.
A Pattern of Deception
In the three years since Chinese-backed Tedros Adhanom took control of the World Health Organization, his authoritarian connections have been a subject of concern. But once Covid-19 radiated out from Wuhan, this bias caused critical gaps that may have cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
As Tedros covered for his Chinese allies, critical information about the virus was delayed as the WHO continuously praised China and spread its falsehoods about the deadliness of the disease. Among other things, during just the coronavirus pandemic, WHO has:
- Parroted China’s false claim that human to human transmission was impossible.
- Ignored evidence from Taiwan weeks before that transmission was very much possible.
- Barred Taiwan from participating in emergency conferences on the virus, even though they posessed critical information.
- Attacked Taiwanese officials as racist, with no evidence whatsoever.
- Refused to name the virus a matter of concern under pressure from Xi Jinping, for a total delay of nine days.
- Claimed China’s clearly falsified Covid-19 data was accurate.
In total, the better part of a month to prepare was lost, allowing a flux of international travelers from China to continue spreading the disease, so far leading to 133,000 dead Americans and hundreds of thousands of more killed throughout the world.
Events in the past 24 hours have not done anything to help that record. Tuesday, the WHO made the extraordinary admission that it actually learned about Covid-19 from the internet, not China, as both had claimed for months. Their officials praised the Chinese government’s handling of the Black Death outbreak in the nation’s northern territories.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden today announced his support for rejoining the communist-kowtowing organization if elected.
Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health. On my first day as President, I will rejoin the @WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage. https://t.co/8uazVIgPZB
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 7, 2020
Biden has yet to address how he will make sure U.S. taxpayer dollars don’t assist Chinese Communist leader’s Xi Jinping’s deadly use of the WHO if he wins.
President Trump has yet to make a statement about the formal exit, which will likely be announced in the coming days.