Trump Pulls $600M in Public Health Funds From Four States

Key TakeawaysAbout $600 million in public health funding is being taken back from four statesThe cuts affect programs tied to HIV, disease tracking and local health servicesExperts warn the move could weaken outbreak response efforts.WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration plans to take back about $600 million in public health funding from four Democrat-led states, saying the grants no longer match health priorities.The states affected are California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times.The money was awarded through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and supported state health departments and nonprofit groups.A list of the planned cuts was shared with congressional committees earlier this week. Some of the funding will be canceled this week, with additional cuts rolling out over the coming weeks.“These grants are being terminated because they do not reflect agency priorities,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said.The grants were used for a wide range of public health work, including hiring staff, updating data systems, responding to disease outbreaks and running programs for specific communities.About two dozen grants focused on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.Nearly two-thirds of the funding being pulled back is unspent money allocated to state and local health departments in California, according to the documents.Dr. Deb Houry, who resigned as the CDC’s chief medical officer in August, said the decision is troubling, especially as the country faces active health threats.“It is concerning that HHS is cutting public health funding to local communities that cover core functions in the middle of a measles outbreak and other health threats,” she told The Times. “This coupled with large staffing cuts to federal public health leaves communities less prepared.”Much of the cuts affect partner organizations as well. Among those listed:$7.2 million from the American Medical Association in Illinois, which supports gender transitions for kids$5.2 million from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for HIV prevention work among Black women$876,000 from the University of California, San Francisco for a project focused on reducing social isolation among older LGBTQ adults$371,000 from the Colorado Health Network for outreach to Latino and African American men who have sex with menIn September, the CDC updated its website to outline its new priorities, including stepping away from programs focused on diseases that mostly affect specific populations.The agency said that approach “has not translated into measurable improved health for minority populations, and in many cases has undermined core American values.”Last month, HHS also briefly paused $5 billion in public health infrastructure grants nationwide to review whether they aligned with the administration’s goals. That pause was lifted within 24 hours.More informationThe nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is tracking federal budget cuts that affect low-income Americans.SOURCE: The New York Times, Feb. 9, 2026.What This Means For YouPublic health funding helps track outbreaks, prevent disease and support local health services. Cuts like these could affect how quickly officials respond to health threats..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Trump Pulls $600M in Public Health Funds From Four States

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