Rep. McCaul calls China, WHO 'co-conspirators' in coronavirus 'cover-up'

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Rep. Michael McCaul says Chinese government is engaged in one of the worst cover-ups in human history

Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joins Shannon Bream on 'Fox News @ Night.'

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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the World Health Organization and the Chinese Communist Party “co-conspirators” in allegedly hiding information about the novel coronavirus in its early stages -- calling it “the worst cover-up in human history” and seeking the resignation of its top official.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News on Friday, McCaul, R-Texas, explained his efforts in recent weeks to uncover misconduct within the WHO related to the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s alleged deception.

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“There is a case to be made here that this is the worst cover-up in human history,” McCaul told Fox News. “This is a cover-up by the Chinese Communist Party, which has now led to one of the worst pandemics we’ve ever seen.”

He added: “The World Health Organization did not protect the world from this pandemic and I consider them to be co-conspirators with the Chinese Communist Party.”

McCaul went on to call for the resignation of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- something several U.S. lawmakers have done in recent days -- calling it “appropriate” as he is “the person conspiring with the Chinese Communist Party.”

Earlier this week, the WHO director vehemently defended his agency amid criticism from President Trump and others.

“If you don’t want many more body bags you refrain from politicizing it – please quarantine politicizing COVID,” he told reporters, after Trump threatened to look at cutting funding to the organization.

"My short message is please quarantine politicizing COVID – the unity of your country will be very important to defeat this dangerous virus. Without unity we assure you even any country that may have a better system will be in more trouble. That’s our message," he said.

He went on to urge a global response to the virus similar to the one that combated smallpox.

"The United States and China should come together and fight this dangerous enemy, they should come together to fight it and the rest of G-20 should come together to fight it, and the rest of the world should come together and fight it," he said.

But McCaul faulted the leader of the WHO for “echoing the Chinese lie about no human-to-human transmission.”

“Tedros needs to be held accountable,” McCaul said, while adding that the organization as a whole “needs to be studied and investigated.”

“They are not doing their job,” he continued. “They were complicit with China every step of the way with this cover-up. That is not how the World Health Organization is supposed to operate.”

McCaul noted that “the majority of funding” for the WHO comes from the United States.

A WHO tweet in January that has since drawn increased scrutiny stated: “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan.”

Tedros also tweeted praise for China on March 20, saying: "[f]or the first time, #China has reported no domestic #COVID19 cases yesterday. This is an amazing achievement, which gives us all reassurance that the #coronavirus can be beaten."

Communications from the World Health Organization have been used by China to boost the nation's message as it seeks to deflect blame for the pandemic, which a study by the University of Southampton claims could have been "reduced by 95 percent globally" if China acted three weeks earlier.

McCaul, and other top lawmakers of both parties, also have repeatedly called on the WHO to close so-called “wet markets,” in China and around the world, after scientists said the markets are linked to the 2003 SARS outbreak and believed to be the source of COVID-19.

McCaul said he has not yet received a response from WHO on the topic.

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“This really questions the integrity of the World Health Organization,” McCaul told Fox News on Friday. “If scientists are reporting wildlife markets could be the cause, it raises a question of the integrity of the organization itself and its leadership.”

Meanwhile, McCaul told Fox News that he has called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to launch an investigation into the Chinese Communist Party’s “various lies” and “disinformation campaign.”

But McCaul was firm in saying that “this is not about the people of China.”

“It’s important to make this distinction,” McCaul explained. “We’re not talking about the great people of China and their great culture — it is about their government that lies to them, and unfortunately, as a result of their cover-up, resulted in deaths in their own country and they didn’t even report it.”

Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.