The World Health Organization is hitting back at President Trump after he questioned why the international organization is so “China-centric.”
“The W.H.O. really blew it,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?”
When the Coronavirus first emerged on the international scene, the WHO inaccurately reassured the world that human-to-human transmission was impossible. The UN-led health organization also attacked President Trump’s early restrictions on travel from China to the United States. The group also advised against describing the China-born virus as a “Chinese” or “Wuhan” virus.
During a press conference Wednesday, the WHO’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Trump’s comments risked “more body bags.”
"Please don't politicize this virus,” Ghebreyesus said after being asked about Trump’s comments. “It exploits the differences you have at the national level. If you want to be exploited and if you want to have many more body bags, then you do it. If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it.”
“It's like playing with fire,” the WHO director warned. “So more than ever before, national unity is important if we care about our people, if we care about our citizens.”
Mr. Ghebreyesus urged the world to unite behind American and Chinese leadership: “Please, unity at national level. No using COVID for political points. And then second, honest solidarity at global level and honest leadership from the U.S. and China ... We shouldn't waste time pointing fingers. We need time to unite."
In the same press briefing, the Ethiopia-born Mr. Ghebreyesus singled out Taiwan for criticism, suggesting they were part of a racist campaign attacking his leadership.
“I can tell you personal attacks that have been going on for more than two, three months. Abuses, or racist comments, giving me names, black or Negro. I’m proud of being black, proud of being Negro,” Mr. Ghebreyesus said. “I don’t care, to be honest ... even death threats. I don’t give a damn.”
“Three months ago, this attack came from Taiwan,” he continued. “We need to be honest. I will be straight today. From Taiwan. And Taiwan, the Foreign Ministry also, they know the campaign. They didn’t disassociate themselves. They even started criticizing me in the middle of all that insult and slur, but I didn’t care.”