DeSantis Says ‘No Way’ to Supporting Biden Administration WHO Treaty

By Lydia Nusbaum

Published May. 23, 2022, 3:29 p.m. ET | Updated May. 23, 2022

May 23, 2022 Updated 3:25 P.M. ET

CAPE CORAL (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis quickly remarked at a press conference Monday that Florida will in “no way” support the United States participating in the World Health Organization’s pandemic treaty.

“We in Florida, there is no way we will ever support this WHO thing to send our stuff,” DeSantis said. “That’s not going to happen. No way.”

The World Health Organization has proposed a global accord on pandemic prevention. Supporters said the treaty will help countries deal with future pandemics by allowing countries to share data, vaccines, and equipment.

The Joe Biden Administration has come under fire from Republicans for planning to give the United States’ control over its pandemic response to The World Health Organization through the treaty.

“Any plan by the Biden administration to defer control over our national pandemic response to an international organization in the name of ‘pandemic prevention’ is an alarming dereliction of duty and against the interest of our country,” Florida U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds said in a statement earlier this month.

The non-profit Liberty Counsel criticizes the Biden administration for proposing amendments that would allow the WHO to “unilaterally intervene” into the affairs of nations if there is a suspected “health emergency.”

“If these amendments are approved, the WHO will have the power to declare an ‘international health emergency,’ nullifying the powers of nation states,” the Liberty Counsel said.

“Any action by President Biden should be in tandem with the Legislative Branch, particularly the United States Senate, under Article II, section 2 of the United States Constitution,” Donalds said.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, also called out the proposal:

I’ve been saying this for years: the @WHO has turned into a puppet for Communist China and cannot be trusted.

I’ll be introducing a bill this week to protect American families and taxpayers from the gross overreach of corrupt organizations like the WHO.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 23, 2022

WHO’s general director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made comments on what he calls “misleading statements” about the proposed amendments on May 17th.

“Unfortunately, there has been a small minority of groups making misleading statements and purposefully distorting facts. I want to be crystal clear. WHO’s agenda is public, open and transparent. WHO stands strongly for individual rights. We passionately support everyone’s right to health and we will do everything we can to ensure that the right is realised,” Ghebreyesus said.

On May 22-28, 2022, the 75th World Health Assembly will convene in Geneva, Switzerland, with delegates from 194 nations, to reportedly vote on the Biden administration’s proposal.