Backing Trump, U.S. Republicans call for WHO chief to resign

FILE PHOTO: Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference on the situation of the coronavirus (COVID-2019), in Geneva, Switzerland, February 28, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. lawmakers called on President Donald Trump on Thursday to withhold payments to the World Health Organization until its director general resigns, backing Trump's criticism of the U.N. agency's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Seventeen of Trump's fellow Republicans on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee wrote a letter to Trump supporting his announcement this week that he was withholding funding for the WHO, and saying he should condition the resumption of contributions on the resignation of Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.