Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is calling for a shakeup at the World Health Organization (WHO) and accusing the agency of conspiring with China.
“I’m in charge of the appropriations over the WHO, at least a part of it, and I want to see a change of leadership,” Graham said during an interview on ABC’s “The View” on Thursday.
He explained, “Because I think they conspired with China to downplay the nature of the virus. That they reported all through January that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.”
“The WHO has great scientists, but I’ve lost confidence in the leadership,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Sen. Lindsey Graham calls for a change of leadership within the World Health Organization because he believes “they conspired with China to downplay the nature of the virus.”
— The View (@TheView) April 16, 2020
“The WHO has great scientists, but… I’ve lost confidence in the leadership.” https://t.co/DWeVJkDQFX pic.twitter.com/cEa74zby99
Graham’s comments come days after President Donald Trump’s decision to cut off funding to the WHO.
Several Republican senators have called for an investigation or hearing into the WHO’s response to the coronavirus outbreak in China.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) accused the organization of participating in a cover-up with Chinese officials and disseminating Chinese propaganda, as IJR has previously reported.
While the organization’s initial response to the outbreak has come under heavy scrutiny, officials at the WHO say they have limited authority to investigate information beyond what countries give them.
Additionally, they voiced their “regret” that Trump said he would move to cut off funding.
