Trump wants to get reelected in the worst way – by blaming the W.H.O. and cutting their funding during our pandemic crisis

On April 10, 2020 I blogged about how President Trump was Shifting blame elsewhere. Just four days later on April 14, 2020 there was an article at the New York Times titled Criticized for pandemic response, Trump tries shifting blame to the W.H.O. An article at FactCheck on April 15, 2020 titled FactChecking Trump’s attack on the WHO said Trump’s claims were false, misleading, and unsubstantiated.

A month ago on March 19, 2020 I blogged about What are Americans doing about coronavirus, and who do they trust for information? Overall 71% trusted the WHO, and 38% trusted President Trump. Of Republicans 72% trusted President Trump and 64% trusted the WHO. Of Democrats 86% trusted the WHO, and 14% trusted President Trump. Of Independents 63% trusted the WHO, and 34% trusted President Trump. Presumably Trump’s goal is to get Americans to have less trust in the WHO.

What will the rest of the world think about the U.S. halting funding and hobbling the WHO? People likely will die as a result. I think the world will long remember us for being jerks who cannot be trusted to help our neighbors. It’s worse than metaphorically shooting ourselves in the foot – more like stepping on a grenade and blowing off our foot.  

The image of a cartoon man is adapted from Wikimedia Commons.