By Bunmi Yekini
Washington, D.C. — Six years after pledging to “defeat AIDS in America and beyond,” former President Donald Trump appears to be abandoning that commitment. The Fiscal Year 2026 discretionary funding request released by his administration proposes sweeping public health cuts that advocates say could have catastrophic consequences for people living with and affected by HIV.
Dubbed the “skinny budget” for its lack of detail, the proposal calls for a $163 billion reduction in non-defense discretionary spending, a staggering 22.6% cut from FY25 levels. Public health experts and advocacy groups warn that this move threatens to dismantle critical components of the U.S. HIV response infrastructure and global health efforts.
“This budget, if enacted, would irreparably harm communities and unravel decades of progress in the fight against HIV,” said AIDS United in a statement Friday.
Among the most alarming proposed changes:
Elimination of Part F of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, including AIDS Education & Training Centers and the Dental Program. ($74 million)
Merging and slashing funds for CDC’s work on hepatitis, STIs, tuberculosis, and the overdose epidemic into a single grant program funded at $300 million. ($77 million)
Consolidation of the HOPWA program with HUD’s Continuum of Care, with a two-year cap on services for vulnerable populations. ($532 million)
Complete elimination of the CDC Global Health Center ($692 million) and USAID ($2.46 billion), both instrumental in international HIV efforts.
Dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and cuts totaling over $1 billion.
Though the Division of HIV Prevention at the CDC and the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative were not directly named, the magnitude of the proposed cuts suggests these programs are also at risk.
AIDS United and other advocates vow to fight the proposed reductions. “Our mission moving forward is clear,” the organization stated. “We will work with all stakeholders to push back on these horrific cuts and demand that Congress protect the HIV safety net.”
As more details are expected in the coming weeks, public health experts warn that the cost of these cuts may be measured in lives lost.