Republican Rep. Will Hurd has expressed objection to the decision of President Donald Trump to sever United States relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) and said the move reflected “poor leadership.”
Hurd, on Friday, said Trump’s decision will have “devastating effects” on global health and – contrary to Trump’s agenda – help rather than harm the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
He argued that leaving the WHO, which Trump claims is controlled by China, sends a message to the world that it can’t count on the United States.
“We can disagree with the leadership of an organization while supporting their mission. International coalitions are essential to fighting global challenges; we should be strengthening our alliances, not dismantling them.”
Hurd, only Black Republican in House, acknowledged the dangers and failures of the CCP, including its misinformation campaigns linked to the spread of coronavirus, and said allies share the same concerns. He also pointed to his concerns with the WHO’s handling of the pandemic and its relationship to China, including the CCP’s alleged silencing of WHO researchers.
While concerns about the CCP’s purported control over the WHO remain, Hurd pushed for the U.S. to show global leadership and to join allies in seeking answers as opposed to giving up.
“Contained in my correspondence with foreign leaders, there’s international unity behind holding the W.H.O. accountable and improving it so that it’s more effective in the next major public health crisis,” Hurd posited,.
He urged Trump to take this opinion into account and reverse his decision.
Sequel to the outbreak of COVID-19, US was the WHO’s most significant contributor. In 2019, US provided approximately 15 percent of WHO’s budget.
