By Sadie Whitelocks For Dailymail. A doctor set for a role in the Trump administration has given fascinating insight into the president's motives for pulling America out of the World Health Organization. Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from the WHO in one of his first acts as president, citing the agency's close ties to China , failings during Covid and the fact he believes the US was being ripped off by the organization.
But speaking on DailyMail. He highlighted how more than 80 percent of WHO's funding relies on 'voluntary contributions,' meaning any amount of money given freely by donors, whether member states, NGOs, philanthropic organizations or other private entities.
This funding model contrasts to when the WHO first launched in and its budget was set by countries' annual membership fees. Dr Malhotra said there were increasing concerns about influence and conflicts of interest.
But Dr Malhotra highlights the billionaire is 'heavily invested in ultra-processed foods ' which are fueling the global crisis of chronic diseases. Gates has also championed synthetic meat, investing in companies such as Beyond Meat, Hampton Creek Foods and Nature's Fynd, despite growing concerns about the health effects of these ultraprocessed alternatives. Dr Malhotra says Gates' backing of ultra-processed junk foods presents a problem, as 'these are the people that are really directing the policy of the WHO'.
Despite backing Kamala Harris during the election, Gates met with Trump in January after he was elected for a dinner in New York to fill him in on his work. The Microsoft founder said that much of the three-hour discussion was focused on global health and elaborated on his efforts to combat HIV. Another critical topic was the ongoing fight against polio, a disease that Gates' foundation has long targeted for eradication. Gates said Trump was 'fascinated' by the complexities of achieving eradication and, he claims, seemed eager to explore how his administration could support the effort.
