Trump rips WHO, China over coronavirus response: 'The US has been foolishly funding the WHO'

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Trump: 'Isn't any question' that China misled global community on COVID-19

President Trump answers a viewer question on the global response to China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic at Fox News' virtual town hall.

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President Trump bashed the World Health Organization [WHO] on Sunday, saying the group mishandled the coronavirus pandemic by giving deference to China, during his Fox News Town Hall with Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, focused on reopening America during the public health crisis.

Trump answered questions submitted by Fox News viewers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

AMERICA TOGETHER: TRUMP TAKES QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS AT FOX NEWS VIRTUAL TOWN HALL

Question: Are you considering new tariffs to punish China? 

“The World Health Organization has been a disaster,” Trump said.

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Trump said the WHO passed along “wrong” information and was China-centric. Trump noted that the United States “foolishly” has been paying the group $450 million a year whereas China has been paying $38 million a year.

“But, the [WHO] were more political than all of our leaders previously,” Trump said. “What the WHO did, they missed every single call.”

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Question: “Is there enough evidence that China misled the global community about this coronavirus? If so, how should the global community respond?

“Don’t forget, China tried to blame the [coronavirus pandemic] on some of our soldiers and that didn’t go too far,” Trump noted, a reference to statements appearing on Chinese state media. Trump said China then tried to blame it on Europe as Italy “suffered probably more than anybody per capita.”

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Trump also said China made a “horrible mistake and they did not want to admit it.”