WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s cuts to federal public health funding, totaling $600 million, are jeopardizing California’s HIV early-warning systems, according to public health officials and Democratic lawmakers. The cuts, announced Tuesday, will impact disease control programs in California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota, with California bearing the brunt of the reductions.
The move, framed by the White House as a response to “radical gender ideology” at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has sparked outrage from Democrats and health advocates who warn of a potential resurgence in HIV cases. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) characterized the cuts as “dangerous and deliberate,” asserting they would undermine vital disease prevention efforts.
A significant portion of the cuts—$1.1 million—will eliminate funding for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Project. Dr. Paul Simon, an epidemiologist at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and former chief science officer for the county’s public health department, emphasized the program’s critical role in tracking emerging HIV trends and preventing outbreaks. “Without this program, we’re flying blind,” Simon said. “The first step in addressing any public health threat is understanding what’s happening on the ground.” He added that the lack of early detection could lead to increased transmission due to the often asymptomatic nature of HIV infection.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center is also facing a $383,000 reduction in funding for community HIV prevention programs. While the center has not yet received official notification of the cuts, CEO Joe Hollendoner stated that the reductions would disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ communities and other underserved populations. “These decisions are not guided by public health evidence, but by politics—and the consequences are real,” Hollendoner said. “Any reduction in funding directly affects our ability to provide care, prevention and lifesaving services to the people who rely on us.”
The administration’s justification for the cuts—that targeted programs “promote DEI and radical gender ideology”—has been widely criticized as unfounded. Simon dismissed the claim as “dangerous and shortsighted,” highlighting the success of early detection and treatment in controlling HIV transmission.
This is not the first instance of the Trump administration targeting California’s federal funding. In January, administration officials attempted to freeze $10 billion in federal funding for child care, welfare, and social services in California and four other states, but a federal judge blocked the effort. The administration has also sought to block funds to “sanctuary” jurisdictions, including California and Los Angeles, that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Last year, cuts were made to funding for minority-serving institutions in California, prompting colleges to seek alternative funding sources.
In June, California Democrats, led by Representative Laura Friedman (D-Burbank), successfully pressured the administration to release $19.8 million in frozen HIV prevention grants to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. That earlier freeze had forced the county to terminate contracts with 39 community health providers and nearly shut down HIV testing and services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Friedman vowed to continue fighting against the cuts, stating, “These grants save lives. They connect homeless people to care, they support front-line organizations fighting HIV, and they build the public health infrastructure that protects my constituents.”
Representative Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) has also criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accusing him of spreading misinformation about HIV and AIDS. In a letter to Kennedy last year, Garcia cited Kennedy’s past claims that HIV does not cause AIDS as evidence of a bias against sound scientific principles.
Governor Gavin Newsom characterized the latest threats to public health funding as a “familiar pattern” and expressed skepticism about their legal viability. “The President publicly claims he will rip away public health funding from states that voted against him, while offering no details or formal notice,” Newsom said. “If or when the Trump administration takes action, we will respond appropriately. Until then, we will pass on participating in his attempt to chase headlines.”
The Los Angeles LGBT Center has indicated its willingness to pursue legal action to challenge the cuts, building on its success last year in blocking similar grant cancellations through a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in San Francisco. The injunction prevented the administration from using executive orders to circumvent statutory funding obligations.
