For Immediate Release: 
December 2, 2025

[email protected] 

Congresswoman Waters Condemns Trump’s Refusal to Commemorate World AIDS Day 

Calls for Full Funding of Domestic and International HIV/AIDS Programs

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee and a congressional leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, issued the following statement following President Trump’s refusal to commemorate World AIDS Day, which is celebrated every year on December 1: 

“I am outraged by Donald Trump’s refusal to commemorate World AIDS Day!

“World AIDS Day is a day to remember the millions of people around the world who have died of AIDS and demonstrate our continuing support for people living with AIDS and our commitment to stopping the spread of HIV. World AIDS Day has been recognized by presidents of both political parties, including George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and even Trump during his first term. Yet this year, in an appalling abdication of America’s leadership, the State Department instructed employees and grantees to ‘refrain from publicly promoting World AIDS Day through any communication channels, including social media, media engagements, speeches or other public-facing messaging.’

“Donald Trump’s callous disregard of the global AIDS pandemic is threatening our progress against the disease. Trump halted funds for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – known throughout the world as PEPFAR – which was created in 2003 under the leadership of former Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the co-founder of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, working with President George W. Bush, myself, and congressional HIV/AIDS advocates from both political parties. PEPFAR supports HIV prevention and treatment in developing countries and is credited with having saved 26 million lives since its creation. Last year alone, PEPFAR provided life-saving HIV medicines to more than 20 million people and supported more than 342,000 health workers to deliver HIV prevention, treatment, and support services in more than 50 countries. An estimated 70,000 people have already died due to Trump’s budget cuts.

“As Bill Gates said, ‘We’re already seeing the tragic impact of reductions in aid, and we know the number of deaths will continue to rise.’

“Here in the United States – where I created the Minority AIDS Initiative to address devastating HIV/AIDS disparities, which has grown from an initial appropriation of $156 million in 1999 to more than $400 million per year today – Donald Trump is waging an all-out war on people living with HIV. Trump’s budget proposal completely eliminated HIV prevention funding at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and slashed funds for Ryan White AIDS care and HIV research! He even eliminated funding for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program, proving he does not care if people with HIV are homeless! We cannot allow these devastating cuts to be implemented.

“We must fully fund PEPFAR and other domestic and international HIV/AIDS programs and take further action to stop the spread of this devastating pandemic. That is why I introduced two new HIV prevention bills in the House of Representatives this year. The HIV Prevention Now Act (H.R. 5126) will provide more than $2 billion for HIV, viral hepatitis, STD, and tuberculosis prevention, and The PrEP and PEP are Prevention Act (H.R. 5127) will require health insurance plans to cover PrEP and PEP as preventive services for people who need them.

“In honor of World AIDS Day, we must rededicate ourselves to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS, caring for those who are infected, and searching for a cure. We must never give up until we put an end to the HIV/AIDS pandemic once and for all.”

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