Support for China Entry Ban Despite Ignoring WHO Advice
Possible Funding Cuts Indicated
In US, Trump Ignored Warnings of Large Outbreaks and Deaths
Claimed It Would Disappear Soon Despite Advice of 1-2 Million Deaths
US Cases Surpass 380,000 and Deaths 12,000
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the World Health Organization (WHO) for not providing proper advice regarding the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
Meanwhile, President Trump himself faced criticism for ignoring an internal White House report on the sharp increase in COVID-19 deaths in the United States.
On the 7th (local time), President Trump claimed on his Twitter, "WHO messed up. Despite receiving support from the United States, WHO was very China-centric. We will take a close look."
He also said, "Fortunately, I rejected their advice and blocked travelers coming from China early on," and questioned, "Why did they give us such faulty advice?"
This appears to target WHO's stance that border or travel restrictions should not be imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. President Trump has referred to COVID-19 as the "China virus," emphasizing that China is responsible for the current COVID-19 situation. Trump's warning is also interpreted as a mention of the possibility of the U.S. suspending financial support to WHO, as WHO is perceived to be acting from China's perspective.
President Trump's criticism is presumed to be directed at WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is known to have risen to his position with China's support. He delayed declaring a pandemic in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis and showed a China-biased stance, becoming a target of criticism. He was especially criticized for stating that the world owes a debt to China.
However, President Trump's remarks on this day are also understood as an attempt to deflect criticism aimed at himself for not actively responding to COVID-19.
According to the online media Axios, in a memo dated February 23 addressed to President Trump, Peter Navarro, Director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, warned of a COVID-19 pandemic, predicting that 100 million people could be infected and 1 to 2 million Americans could die. The memo did not have the author's name, but Axios confirmed that the author was Director Navarro.
Axios pointed out that President Trump ignored this advice and, three days later, appeared at a COVID-19 task force press conference making completely different claims. Contrary to the warning, he predicted that COVID-19 infections in the U.S. would soon disappear within 15 days. Axios reported that despite the number of infections in the U.S. increasing from 5 to 15 within three days of the report, President Trump maintained an underestimation of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, as of 3 p.m. on the same day, according to Johns Hopkins University, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reached 383,256, with 12,021 deaths.
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