The team responsible for handing over power to Donald Trump is pushing for the US to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the first day of the new administration’s term, the Financial Times reports.
Members of Trump’s team briefed experts on their intention to announce their withdrawal from the World Health Organization during the inauguration of the newly elected president on January 20. “A withdrawal would deprive the WHO of its largest source of funding, damaging its ability to respond to health crises such as the coronavirus pandemic,” the FT says.
America’s relationship with the WHO came into question after Trump began assembling his Cabinet and people like vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for top healthcare positions in the next government.
Will Trump get his way? “He wants to act much faster this time.”
In 2020, Trump initiated the process of leaving the WHO amid the spread of COVID-19, accusing the organization of remaining under Chinese control. However, this process was never completed and his successor Joe Biden resumed relations with the WHO on his first day in office in 2021, the newspaper recalled.
According to the daily, some members of Trump’s team want to act much faster this time and immediately withdraw the United States from the WHO after taking power.
Money flows from the US to the WHO. Hundreds of millions of dollars a year
The main source of funding for the World Health Organization is the United States. They donate approximately $500 million annually, of which $116 million is on behalf of the UN and approximately $400 million is voluntary contributions.
Experts quoted by the Financial Times claim that America’s withdrawal from the WHO will have a “catastrophic” impact not only on the organization but also on the global health situation.
– We don’t really care what they have to say at the WHO – one of the people familiar with the Trump team’s plans told the FT.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
