White House says G7 leaders call for ‘thorough review and reform’ at WHO

The WHO was discussed during a videoconference that Trump hosted with other G7 leaders -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

The White House said G7 countries expressed support Thursday for President Donald Trump’s fierce criticism of the World Health Organization, calling for a “thorough review and reform” at the UN body.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab attends a remote G7 meeting during the novel coronavirus outbreak at 10 Downing Street in London. (via REUTERS)

The WHO was discussed during a videoconference that Trump hosted with other G7 leaders -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

The US president accuses the WHO of covering up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in China and doing Beijing’s bidding. He has threatened to cut US funding, the largest portion of the organization’s revenue.

According to the White House, other G7 leaders were sympathetic to his stand.

“The leaders recognized that the G7 nations annually contribute more than a billion dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO), and much of the conversation centered on the lack of transparency and chronic mismanagement of the pandemic by the WHO,” the White House said in a statement.

“The leaders called for a thorough review and reform process.”