Washington DC [US]: In a significant move, US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order cutting ties with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The decision, announced Monday, comes in response to the organisation’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises.
The executive order criticises the WHO’s response to the pandemic and its alleged failure to implement necessary reforms. Trump also highlighted concerns about disproportionate financial contributions by the US compared to other member nations.
“The United States noticed its withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2020 due to the organisation’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states,” the order stated.
During his first Oval Office address following his swearing-in ceremony, Trump emphasised the financial inequity in the US’s contributions to the WHO. He noted that the US paid $500 million to the organisation, compared to China’s $39 million contribution, despite China’s significantly larger population.
“We paid 500 million dollars to the World Health Organisation when I was here and I terminated it. China, with 1.4 billion people, was paying 39 million. We were paying 500 million. It seemed a little unfair to me,” Trump said.
Trump previously withdrew the US from the WHO in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing similar concerns.
Trump on the US-TikTok Deal and Tariffs on China
Trump also addressed the ongoing US-TikTok deal during his remarks, suggesting that tariffs could be imposed on China if it failed to approve the deal.
“If China didn’t approve it (the US-TikTok deal), we could put tariffs on China. Don’t forget. China charges us tariffs and we charge them very little except for what I did—I put a lot in, and we took in hundreds and billions of dollars. But until I came along, China never paid 10 cents to this country,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, with US Chief Justice John Roberts administering the oath. JD Vance was sworn in as the 50th Vice President prior to Trump’s inauguration.