Resolution Calls Out Closures of CDC and NIH Programs, Loss of Grants, and Global Funding
The West Hollywood City Council has formally voiced opposition to reported cuts to HIV prevention and treatment programs by the second Trump administration, citing concern for the local and global impact of dismantling key public health efforts.
At its regular meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the federal government’s rollback of HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment initiatives and reaffirmed the city’s ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable communities.
According to the resolution, the Trump administration has begun dismantling or defunding programs under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These programs have historically played a central role in combating the HIV epidemic both domestically and abroad.
In early April, the HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute issued a statement confirming that entire divisions within the CDC focused on HIV prevention had been shuttered, including offices responsible for public health campaigns, data modeling, and behavioral research. The NIH, according to the same release, terminated at least 20 research grants, many of which focused on high-risk populations such as transgender people, children, and BIPOC communities.
West Hollywood officials said these moves are especially damaging to the city and its history of HIV/AIDS activism. The city, incorporated in 1984 at the height of the AIDS crisis, has long been recognized as a leader in addressing the epidemic through community services, medical support, and public awareness campaigns.
“We are proud of the role that West Hollywood has played in addressing HIV/AIDS,” the Council stated in its resolution. “In the 1980s, as gay men in our community were getting sick and dying all around us, the City responded with resources, creativity, and most importantly, with compassion.”
Officials also cited the reversal of progress made under the federal “Ending the HIV Epidemic” (EHE) initiative, first introduced during Trump’s initial term in 2019. That initiative has led to notable progress, with CDC data showing a 21% decline in new infections in targeted jurisdictions between 2018 and 2022.
In contrast, the recent administrative shift has reportedly halted public data collection related to transgender populations and suspended HIV public awareness efforts while also threatening funding for organizations that include diversity, equity, or inclusion in their programming.
The resolution approved by West Hollywood City Council includes a formal letter to President Donald J. Trump, with copies sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, U.S. Representative Laura Friedman, and other federal and state leaders.
The city noted that HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect communities served by West Hollywood and reaffirmed its commitment to offering support through its Human Services Division, which funds HIV-related programs and services throughout the region.
For more information about local HIV and AIDS resources, residents are encouraged to visit www.weho.org/humanservices or call (323) 848-6510.
