4 Democratic-led states sue Trump administration over $600M in public health funding cuts

By Gizem Nisa Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - Four Democratic-led US states filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw hundreds of millions of dollars in federal public health funding, arguing that the move is politically motivated and threatens critical disease-prevention programs.

In the complaint, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota asked a court for a temporary restraining order after the Department of Health and Human Services notified Congress on Monday of plans to reclaim roughly $600 million in previously awarded grants.

The funding had supported efforts including workforce hiring, data modernization, and responses to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

The complaint alleged the cuts are unlawful, warning they would “irreparably harm the states and are based on political animus.”

Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, said in a statement, “President (Donald) Trump is resorting to a familiar playbook,” adding, “He is using federal funding to compel states and jurisdictions to follow his agenda.” He said similar efforts had failed before and predicted the same outcome in court.

A Health and Human Services Department spokesman said the grants were terminated “because they do not reflect agency priorities,” reflecting a broader shift away from programs tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

All four states have also been targeted by the Trump administration in other ways, from large military and ICE deployments disrupting daily life and scaring the public to the proposed closure of a major climate research center.

-Additional reductions

Additional reductions announced Wednesday include about $183 million in unspent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-administered funds aimed at HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention, affecting public health departments and cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago.

Public health advocates warned the cuts could weaken surveillance and outbreak response systems.

“Every person benefits from the surveillance work that tracks infections and helps people understand their risk,” said Elizabeth Finley, interim director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.

Jeremiah Johnson, executive director of Prep4All, argued that targeted outreach remains essential, saying: “This isn’t any different from that.”

The administration has indicated it may redirect some funding toward broader programs that do not prioritize specific populations, following a September revision to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention priorities that moved away from focusing on particular communities disproportionately affected by disease.

Critics say Trump sees himself as president not of the entire country but only of Republican-run states that supported him, and has targeted Democratic-dominated states through funding cutbacks and denying disaster aid, among other measures.