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USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration will “halt” U.S. funding to the World Health Organization as it conducts a review of the global organization’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion,” the president said in a Rose Garden press conference. 

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Trump has accused the organization of not moving quickly enough to sound the alarm over COVID-19 and of being too China friendly. He has attacked the agency for advising the U.S. against banning travel from China to other parts of the world amid the outbreak.

“And the World – WHO – World Health got it wrong,” the president told reporters at the White House last week. “I mean, they got it very wrong. In many ways, they were wrong. They also minimized the threat very strongly and – not good.”

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The U.S. paid $893 million to the WHO during its two-year budget window, according to the organization’s website. That money represents about 15% of the WHO’s budget.  

Established in 1948, the WHO is an autonomous organization that works with the United Nations and is considered part of the U.N. system. 

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard

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