U.S. President Donald Trump had instructed his administration during a White House briefing to cut the funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on April 14, reported U.S. media.

President @realDonaldTrump is halting funding of the World Health Organization while a review is conducted to assess WHO's role in mismanaging the Coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/jTrEf4WWj0

— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) April 14, 2020

Trump said that as the leading sponsor of the WHO, the U.S. had a duty to insist on full accountability for the organisation's role in "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus".

"One of the most dangerous and costly decisions from the WHO was its disastrous decision to oppose travel restrictions from China and other nations," NPR reported Trump as saying.

Trump also accused the WHO of failing to do its job to get medical experts to objectively assess the situation, call out China's lack of transparency, and contain the outbreak when it first started in Wuhan, reported the BBC.

According to Reuters, the U.S. is WHO's biggest single funder, providing US$400m (S$565.7m) last year - roughly 15% of its total budget.

Trump had claimed that in contrast, China had only contributed US$40m (S$56.5m) to the WHO.

Hence, Trump proposed that the U.S. would halt funding to WHO while his administration conducts a 60 to 90-day review of the organisation's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Criticised for politicising the pandemic

Congressional Democrats argued that the U.S. president does not have the authority to unilaterally decide a funding cut to an international organisation, although the debate remains unclear.

NPR reported Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy as criticising Trump's decision, saying, "Withholding funding for WHO in the midst of the worst pandemic in a century makes as much sense as cutting off ammunition to an ally as the enemy closes in."

Leahy further criticised Trump for "not wanting to take responsibility as the deaths continue to mount" and added that while the "WHO should have been stricter with China and called for travel restrictions earlier ... it is performing essential functions and needs our strong support."

Some journalists have also pointed out that Trump himself had praised China in January for its disease control measures.

China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020

Last week, WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also urged for the political blame game to stop, saying that using Covid-19 to score political points will only result in "many more body bags", according to the New York Times.

"The United States and China should come together and fight this dangerous enemy," Tedros said.

Top photo from Donald Trump/ Twitter and WHO/Twitter