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Donald Trump cuts ties with World Health Organisation claiming it is under China's 'total control'By Evening Standard

Donald Trump has officially cut ties with the World Health Organisation (WHO) over its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The US president accused the global body of failing to adequately tackle the Covid-19 crisis because, he claimed, it is under China's “total control”.

Speaking from the White House Rose Garden on Friday, Mr Trump pressed ahead with plans to end US funding for the WHO, which amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

The US is the largest source of financial support to the WHO and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organisation.

The president said the US would be “redirecting” the money to “other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs”, without providing details.

He said: "China has total control over the World Health Organisation despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying which is approximately $450 million a year.

"We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly but they have refused to act.

"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organisation and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs," he added.

https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/lqQasGQN-hKY5LbS1.htmlUN General Secretary says the WHO is 'irreplaceable'

The World Health Organisation is a United Nations specialist agency – an independent international body that works alongside the larger unit.

Mr Trump has long questioned the value of the UN as he focuses on an "America First" agenda.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has quit the UN Human Rights Council and the UN cultural agency UNESCO, and backed out of a global accord to tackle climate change, as well as the Iran nuclear deal.

The WHO and a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr Trump's decision.