Apr 15, 2020 - Health

Jimmy Carter "distressed" by Trump's decision to withhold WHO funding

Photo: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Former President Jimmy Carter criticized President Trump's decision to withhold U.S. funding from the World Health Organization Wednesday, calling it "the only international organization capable of leading the effort to control the virus."

Why it matters: Carter dedicated his career to humanitarian work after leaving the presidency, establishing the Carter Center in 1982 with the goal of helping improve the quality of life for people in more than 80 countries. The 95-year-old is also active in Habitat for Humanity and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

What he's saying:

"I am distressed by the decision to withhold critically needed U.S. funding for the World Health Organization, especially during an international pandemic. WHO is the only international organization capable of leading the effort to control the virus."
— Jimmy Carter said in a statement

The big picture: Trump has faced widespread backlash for his decision to halt funding to the UN agency in the middle of the pandemic. He has insisted that the WHO mishandled the international response to the coronavirus outbreak and is "China-centric."

Go deeper: Jimmy Carter asks for Carter Center donations to be redirected for coronavirus relief

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