Trump’s HIV funding cuts having ‘severe and devastating’ impact around the world

Key Points:

• The Trump administration's funding cuts to the US anti-HIV program Pepfar have caused widespread disruption globally, including thousands of staff layoffs and clinic closures, risking reversal of progress in the HIV/AIDS fight.
• Pepfar, credited with saving over 26 million lives since 2003, saw many grants abruptly withdrawn in 2025, especially after the dissolution of USAID, impacting prevention services and mother-to-child transmission programs severely.
• A survey of 166 organizations across 46 countries found over 1,700 sites closed and significant service disruptions, particularly for vulnerable populations like gay, transgender people, injectable drug users, and sex workers.
• Organizations receiving US funding reported making major programmatic changes to comply with Trump-era policies targeting diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives, reproductive rights, and gender-affirming care, often ending specialized services.
• Researchers emphasized that these findings provide real-world data on the severe impact of Pepfar disruptions, highlighting threats to controlling the HIV epidemic worldwide ahead of the 26th International AIDS Conference.