The coronavirus pandemic is still impacting everyone's daily lives. Some places of the world are more normal than others. The United States, however, hasn't been doing incredibly great since States began to re-open their economy. Unfortunately, even as numbers are rising, Donald Trump made the drastic decision to pull the U.S. out of the World Health Organization, CNN reports. "The United States' notice of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General, who is the depository for the WHO," a State Department official confirmed.
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez tweeted the news on Tuesday afternoon, condemning Trump for his actions and putting Americans at further risk. "Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the @WHO in the midst of a pandemic. To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn't do it justice. This won't protect American lives or interests—it leaves Americans sick & America alone," Senator Menendez tweeted.
WHO hasn't been perfect, though in the middle of a pandemic, it comes across rather irresponsible, and petty, for that matter, for Trump to pull this off. WHO has tried to help provide medical equipment and safety equipment to essential workers. Several officials are now considered that with U.S. out of WHO, the clinical trials for vaccines will be hindered, and tracing the spread will be even more difficult. Trump has continuously berated WHO for allegedly aiding China in hiding the coronavirus for months before the pandemic began.
Trump's move is alarming, though it should be noted it's not as permanent as it seems. The U.S. with officially be withdrew from the WHO in 2021 but if Joe Biden ends up winning the election, he will have the executive power to reverse those decisions.