Trump was correct to cut off WHO funding

The criticism of President Trump’s funding cut to the World Health Organization (WHO) is both wrong and hypocritical.   This is another example of where Trump-hatred trumps objectivity and common sense.

There seems to be a level of bipartisan agreement that the WHO is acting badly and needs reform — and a change in leadership.  So sayeth the Democrat leaders and the folks on CNN and MSNBC.  But rather than seeing Trump’s action as a step in the right direction, the left must find some way to find fault – to maintain their uncompromised anti-Trump narratives.

Keep in mind that these are the folks who say that Trump should never be legitimatized – meaning never a positive word no matter how correct Trump may be at any given time. WHO funding is a perfect example of that malignant approach.

WHO revealed their anti-American bias in terms of the COVID-19 outbreak. In short, the health organization allowed China to get away with a propaganda campaign regarding the source and impact of the virus.  In fact, WHO highly praised China for its handling of the outbreak – including its refusal to allow American professionals into the country to assess the problem and help mitigate it.

In fact, the early optimism by Trump and such experts as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx was arguably the result of WHO misinformation – and yes, both those eminent professionals shared Trump’s early optimism.  You can find their statements on various videos.  In fact, you could argue that the President – at the time – was taking the advice of the medical community.

Had WHO pushed back on China – instead of acquiescing – the spread and severity of the virus may have been more limited.

For Trump, that was the straw to break the camel’s back.  He announced that he was ordering a TEMPORARY withholding of the $500 million that Uncle Sam shells out to the international organization.  Comparatively, China – which is the big beneficiary of WHO policies – kicks in a piddling $38 million.  I emphasized “temporary” because the press makes it sound like it was a permanent cut – a complete withdrawal.

What Trump did was put a temporary hold on the U.S. contribution while the administration would conduct an investigation – and propose corrective measures.  Presumably, any restoration of funding would require the replacement of the top echelon of the WHO – specifically Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

While Democrats, the left and their media allies all agree that WHO is badly flawed and in need of reform, they spin the funding hold against Trump by saying this was not the right time to take such action.  That is typical Washington establishment modus operandi—call for needed action and then do nothing about it.  You will recall how well that turned out with the North Korea nuclear issue, the effort to get NATO nations to put in their fair share of the budget and demands that China disengage from unfair trade practices.  The left all agreed with the objectives.  They just did not like him taking real action.  After years of failed diddling, the left goes bonkers when Trump acts.

While criticizing WHO on one hand, the left praises the organization’s general humanitarian work – and claims that WHO’s problems should be left to another day.  The fact that the funding pause deals with future funds – and has no meaningful impact on current operations – is ignored by the Trump critics.

The difference is not difficult to understand.  The left sees themselves as internationalists with a global view – with America only as one player. That is why they seem to be so critical of America at every opportunity.  They are unwilling to ever upset the world order — which they crafted and in which they live.  Trump sees his primary obligations to the national interests of the United States – and therein lies the conflict.

It seems that the left pays lip-service to America as a world leader but is reluctant to actually lead.  The WHO controversy is just the latest example.

So, there ‘tis.