Trump says U.S. may cut funding for WHO because it’s ‘China-centric’

At Friday’s coronavirus task force press briefing, President Trump explained why the U.S. is looking at cutting funding for the World Health Organization, accusing the global body of being “China-centric.”

Video Transcript

- So can you explain why it is appropriate in the middle of a pandemic to be talking about cutting or eliminating funding for the World Health Organization?

DONALD TRUMP: Well, we're going to talk about the WHO next week in great detail. I didn't want to do it today. Good Friday. I didn't want to do it before Easter. I also didn't want to do it before we have all the facts.

But over the years-- many years-- we've been paying them from $300 to $500 and even more million a year. China has been paying them less than 40 over the years. So we're paying them more than 10 times more than China. And they are very, very China centric, as I said during the week. China centric.

China always seems to get the better of the argument. And I don't like that. I really don't like that. I don't think that's appropriate. I don't think it's fair to the American people.

And you know, I'd tell that to President Xi. I'd tell that to Dr. Tedros. I spoke to him one time. I think he's a very nice man. I liked him. But we're going to be talking about that next week in great detail. We're looking at it very, very closely. We want to make sure money is properly spent.

But, again, why is the United States paying $500 million a year. It's a lot. And why is-- OK? That's a lot. And why is China paying last year, this year, $42 million, but generally under 40? So it's in the 30s. So we're at 500, 452, 400, 401. Different amounts different years. And they're at 40, 38, 36, 35, 32, 31.

No, no. But you have to ask yourself that question. And then the answer always turns out to be in China's favor.