The U.S. federal government is ending its participation in World AIDS Day. The State Department ordered all federal agencies to halt the use of agency resources for commemorative messaging and activities earlier in November 2025. The move reversed more than 32 years of continuous national engagement that began in 1993.
According to the directive, which was reported by the New York Times, employees are allowed to attend external events organized by local groups, but they are prohibited from issuing statements, preparing public outreach, or posting agency messages linked to commemoration. There is also no federal funds allotted for the event.
Officials clarified that the decision is not intended to cease all support to nationwide and global programs and all other efforts related to HIV/AIDS prevention and management. The move marks an administrative shift toward measurable policy actions rather than symbolic observances and commemorative messaging.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement to The New York Times that an awareness day is not a strategy. Specifically, under the presidency of Donald Trump, the State Department is working directly with foreign governments to save lives and increase their responsibility and burden-sharing
It is worth noting that the aforementioned change comes as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEFAR, a global HIV/AIDS initiative created to assist people living with HIV to manage the virus, has faced funding cutbacks, with more reductions proposed by officials of the second Trump administration.
The United Nations has earlier warned that disruptions within global networks threaten progress made since 2010. Access to antiretrovirals has lowered AIDS-related deaths across multiple continents. Current program instability has raised concerns about increased infection rates, delayed diagnosis, and reduced prevention.
It was in 1998 when President Bill Clinton issued the first presidential proclamation supporting awareness, remembrance, prevention, and coordinated international action regarding HIV/AIDS. The U.S. government first commemorated World AIDS Day on 1 December 1998 as part of its solidarity with existing global efforts.
FURTHER READING AND REFERENCE
- Mandavilli, A. 26 November 2025. “ Trump Administration Will No Longer Commemorate World AIDS Day.” The New York Times. Available online