Why Donald Trump refused to acknowledge World AIDS Day for the first time in nearly 40 years

President Trump’s administration has confirmed it did not acknowledge World AIDS Day on December 1st. This global day commemorates those lost to AIDS since the pandemic began in the 1980s.

For decades, U.S. presidents have issued proclamations for the day. Last year, President Biden hosted a ceremony on the White House lawn featuring the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

This year, however, the administration stated federal funding would not be used for the commemoration. A representative explained the policy is to refrain from messaging on commemorative days, calling awareness days “not a strategy.”

Officials stated the U.S. is modernizing its approach to infectious diseases. They emphasized working directly with foreign governments to save lives under President Trump’s leadership.

Alongside not marking the day, the administration has cut global health spending on HIV/AIDS prevention. UNAIDS warns such funding losses could lead to millions of additional HIV infections by 2030.

AIDS advocacy groups strongly criticized the decision. One director called it “emblematic of an administration that doesn’t seem to care,” while another labeled the move “depraved and outrageous.”

Singer Madonna also condemned the action on Instagram. She called the decision to ignore the day “absurd” and “unthinkable,” contrasting it with the personal trauma of losing friends to AIDS.