The Trump administration has halted its funding for UNAids, the United Nations program dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS, delivering a significant setback to global efforts against the disease.
This decision is part of the administration’s broader strategy to reduce U.S. involvement in international health and anti-poverty initiatives. The funding cutoff was announced by Peter Marocco, a Trump loyalist leading the overhaul of U.S. foreign aid through USAID. In a letter to UNAids, Marocco stated that the termination was “for the convenience of the U.S. government” and aligned with national interests and agency priorities.
The freeze on U.S. foreign assistance has already had a severe impact on HIV treatment programs worldwide. A new UN report highlights disruptions in 55 countries due to these cuts. Prior to this, the U.S. contributed two-thirds of global HIV prevention funding for low- and middle-income nations, primarily through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), established in 2003 by George W. Bush. This initiative had been instrumental in financing about 70% of the global AIDS response. The hardest-hit nations—such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Haiti—relied heavily on U.S. support.
Despite a waiver that allowed some aid to resume, the uncertainty and inconsistent flow of funds have already caused widespread suffering. Now, the additional funding cut to UNAids, which operates in 70 countries, is expected to worsen the crisis.
UNAids Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned on social media that the funding disruptions could severely impact prevention programs, increase new infections, and reverse progress in the fight against AIDS. The UN has reported near-total collapse of HIV services in Ivory Coast, where U.S. programs had previously supported 85% of the country’s 265,000 HIV-positive individuals.
The initial funding freeze led to a complete shutdown of services, and although the waiver allowed some programs to resume, many crucial prevention services remain suspended. A study by the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation estimates that the U.S. aid cuts could result in up to 500,000 deaths and an additional half a million new infections in South Africa over the next decade.
Linda-Gail Bekker of the foundation emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We will see lives lost.”
Trump’s initial freeze on foreign aid had entirely halted overseas funding in the early days of his administration. A waiver introduced on February 1 later permitted some essential HIV services, such as preventing mother-to-child transmission, to continue, allowing 20 million people living with HIV to receive their medication. However, the latest funding cuts threaten to undo much of the progress made in the fight against the epidemic.
