Donald Trump. Foto: Leah Millis / Reuters / NTB scanix.

Trump-administrasjonen har kunngjort for FNs generalsekretær at USA trekker seg fra Verdens Helseorganisasjon (WHO). Utmeldelsen trer i kraft i juli 2020, melder Fox News.

The White House also notified congressional lawmakers Tuesday of the official removal, effective July 2021.

Bakgrunnen for utmeldelsen er misnøye med WHOs håndtering av koronapandemien og Donald Trumps anklager om at FN-organisasjonen er i lommene på Kina.

The U.S. repeatedly raised concerns about WHO officials’ praise of Chinese «transparency,» its ignoring of warnings about the virus from Taiwan, and its repetition of Chinese claims that COVID-19 could not be spread from person-to-person. Trump has also pointed to opposition from WHO officials to his decision to place a travel ban on China in the initial days of the crisis.

Presidenten har en tid forespeilet utmeldelsen etter først å ha kuttet finansieringen av WHO.

Trump first announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the organization in late May. «Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs,» Trump told reporters at a Rose Garden event.