WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign issued the below statement today following President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will terminate its longstanding relationship with the World Health Organization during a global pandemic that has killed over 300,000 people, including 100,000 Americans.

Gayle Smith, president and CEO of The ONE Campaign:

“Today’s announcement is a major victory for the coronavirus and a loss for global health.

“The WHO, albeit imperfect, is the best tool the world has to put out this blaze. Severing America’s decades-long relationship with the WHO during a four-alarm fire will only make Americans less safe and more vulnerable to a resurgence of this pandemic.

“Once we defeat this ugly virus, the entire international community from governments to global health institutions to NGOs must do an autopsy of what worked, what didn’t work and what we need to do to ensure this never happens again. Until then, our focus should be on working together to defeat this deadly pandemic.”