LGBTQ Agenda: White House proposed cuts alarm HIV groups
President Donald Trump’s proposed ”skinny budget” could see drastic federal cuts to HIV/AIDS programs.
Photo: Reuters pool
In March 2025, the Trump administration proposed eliminating over $1 billion in federal funding for HIV prevention, including the closure of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of HIV Prevention. This move has alarmed public health experts and LGBTQ+ advocates, who warn that such cuts could reverse decades of progress in combating HIV/AIDS. The proposed defunding would reduce access to critical prevention tools like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), surveillance initiatives, and programs addressing sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis.
Lance Toma, CEO of the San Francisco Community Health Center and a Class of 2015 San Francisco Fellow with the LeaderSpring Center, has been a vocal critic of the proposed cuts. He emphasized that the administration's actions threaten to destabilize essential public health services, particularly for marginalized communities disproportionately affected by HIV, including people of color, transgender individuals, and immigrants. Toma stated, "Right now we’re in a crisis mode just to make sure we do what we can to protect our staff and our clients."
The San Francisco Community Health Center, under Toma's leadership, has been at the forefront of providing accessible healthcare to underserved populations, including the unhoused and those affected by substance use. The organization has joined a coalition of thirteen leading LGBTQ+, HIV, and health organizations in condemning the administration's plans, highlighting the potential for increased HIV infections and the erosion of hard-won public health gains.
As the nation grapples with the implications of these proposed funding cuts, advocates like Toma continue to stress the importance of sustained investment in HIV prevention and care to protect vulnerable communities and maintain progress toward ending the HIV epidemic.
Learn more about San Francisco Community Health Center: https://www.sfcommunityhealth.org/
