President Donald Trump announced Friday that the US would be ending its relationship with the World Health Organization, NBC News reports. The announcement comes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Trump previously castigated the international health agency regarding his perception that its response to the COVID-19 pandemic was "China-centric" and mismanaged. He had also previously threatened to halt US funding for the WHO and withdraw the US from its membership unless teh agency responded to his criticisms.
"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 public health needs," Trump said, according to NBC News.
Leaving WHO "serves no logical purpose," American Medical Association President Patrice Harris says in a statement. "This senseless action will have significant, harmful repercussions now and far beyond this perilous moment, particularly as the WHO is leading worldwide vaccine development and drug trials to combat the pandemic."
Additionally, as Vox and NPR note, it's not clear whether President Trump has the authority to withdraw the US from the WHO.