Mike Pompeo says China 'bought' chief of WHO

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly says the head of the World Health Organization was "bought" by China, leading to thousands of coronavirus-related deaths in the United Kingdom.

Pompeo reportedly made the statement Tuesday in London during a private meeting of members of Parliament. He purportedly alleged that the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, struck a deal with China that would help him secure re-election to his post.

"When push came to shove, when it really mattered most," people died "because of the deal that was made," Pompeo reportedly said. 

He added that the United Nations-affiliated WHO is a political body, rather than a strictly scientifically-oriented institution. 

Pompeo is now traveling across Europe to try to convince U.S. allies to enforce tougher stands against China. Last week, the U.K. announced it would ban Huawei technology in its 5G network. 

England's foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has said that his country will likely take months to properly investigate the behavior of Chinese officials.

In May, President Trump sent a letter to Dr. Tedros accusing the WHO of having an "alarming lack of independence from China." He also accused the group of ignoring signs of the virus spreading rampantly through Wuhan, China, at the beginning of December 2019.