Global Backlash After Trump Cuts WHO Funding Amid Crisis.
BLITZER: We're awaiting the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing. We'll be monitoring it. Once again, it's in the Rose Garden today not in the White House briefing room standby. Let's go to the White House right now. Our Chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta is with us. Jim, I understand you're learning some new information about warnings -- very serious warnings the President is getting what are you learning?</s>JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right Wolf, President Trump is beginning to reach out to business leaders about reopening the country and some of those industry officials are warning the president more coronavirus testing is needed quickly and facing growing criticism over his administration's response to the coronavirus. President Trump is in search of scapegoats. White House officials are scrambling to point the finger at the World Health Organization in China but there's one big problem with that, the President has praised both the WHO and China for its handling of the virus in the past.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): One day after President Trump called on business leaders to advise them on reopening the U.S. economy.</s>TRUMP: We've had requests to participate from the best in the world as we share their enthusiasm to get our country going. So I thank them for wanting to contribute.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): Some of those industry officials on a conference call with White House aides insisted that the administration ramp up coronavirus testing before companies start bringing employees back to work. The administration health experts are conceding more testing is needed.</s>REDFIELD: That's going to be really important to get a few things in place or more obviously testing for early diagnostics.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): With a number of dead from the coronavirus soaring, the President is pointing fingers at the World Health Organization halting its funding and accusing the group of being lapdogs for China.</s>TRUMP: The WHO's reliance on China's disclosures likely caused a 20 fold increase in cases worldwide and it may be much more than that.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): Still working to control the pandemic the WHO responded to the President's decision with restraint.</s>TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR, WHO: We regret the day decision of the President of the United States to order a hold in funding to the World Health Organization.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): For weeks critics have questioned how the WHO and China were responding to the pandemic. Yet back in February, the President was praising both China and the</s>WHO. TRUMP: China, I can tell you is working very hard. We're working with them. You know, we just sent some of our best people over the World Health Organization and a lot of them are composed of our people. They're fantastic, and they're now in China. And we're helping them out.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): Mr. Trump has failed to own up to the fact that he has touted China's transparency on the virus.</s>TRUMP: I don't talk about you and his transparency.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): But that's not true, he has. On January 24th, the President tweeted China has been working very hard to contain the coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular on behalf of the American people. I want to thank President Xi. It's not clear whether administration officials are taking the President's bluster seriously.</s>REDFIELD: You know, I just going to say that who has been and a long standing partner for CDC. We've worked together and to fight health crisis all around the world. We continue to do that.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): Top White House official Kellyanne Conway blasted the WHO sang it should have known how to deal with a virus by now.</s>KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL: This is COVID-19 not COVID-1 folks, and so you would think the people charged with the World Health Organization, facts and figures would be on top of that.</s>ACOSTA (voice-over): But it's Conway who should know according to the CDC, the name COVID-19 stands for Coronavirus 2019 as in the year it was first detected. With President eager to end social distancing by May 1st, officials at the CDC and FEMA have drafted a plan for reopening the U.S., but the plan obtained by the "Washington Post" contains a warning, models indicate 30 day shelter in place followed by 180 day lifting of all mitigation results in large rebound curve. With businesses closed across the U.S., the administration is churning out stimulus checks to millions of Americans. But those checks when outcome with Mr. Trump's name on them, though not his signature or something he danced around earlier this month.</s>TRUMP: I know there's millions of checks, I'm going to sign them now. It's a Trump administration initiative. But do I want to sign them now?</s>ACOSTA: Now, one indication of how administration officials are scrambling to meet the President's goal to reopen the country on May 1st, some of the industry and labor leaders who are named by the White House as advisors on reopening the country, were not even notified first, sources tell CNN, several of the names were added first before they were contacted Wolf. You know, in some cases, the White House just didn't even tell people, they were on the list. Wolf.</s>BLITZER: That's pretty awkward, awkward indeed. All right, Jim Acosta at the White House. Thank you. Coming up industry leaders tell President Trump more testing is needed before businesses can reopen. So why is it so hard to get access to testing? Plus, we'll have an update on the search for a coronavirus vaccine, which may be the only way to end the social distancing and end the crisis. Much more of our coverage, right after this.