US Has Marked World AIDS Day Since 1988. No More State Department tells staff not to promote it

The Trump administration has instructed federal employees and grant recipients not to use government resources or public platforms to mark World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, a practice the U.S. has observed since 1988. According to an internal State Department email reported by the New York Times, staff were advised to avoid public promotion of the day—including on social media, in speeches, or through media engagements. Employees are still permitted to attend related events and highlight ongoing work on HIV and other diseases.

The reasoning behind the decision
The email states the move is part of a broader policy “to refrain from messaging on any commemorative days, including World AIDS Day.” Yet the Times points out that the administration has issued proclamations for numerous other observances in 2025, including World Autism Awareness Day and World Intellectual Property Day.

A State Department spokesperson defended the approach, saying, “An awareness day is not a strategy. Under the leadership of President Trump, the State Department is working directly with foreign governments to save lives and increase their responsibility and burden sharing.”

While the White House did not respond to Times questions about the change, a senior official noted that World AIDS Day originated with the World Health Organization, which President Trump withdrew the U.S. from on the first day of his second term.

The Times highlights the broader context: the administration’s freeze on foreign aid earlier this year and studies suggesting that millions of new HIV infections and deaths worldwide could result. Supporting this, Reuters reported that UNAIDS released a report Tuesday indicating an estimated 2.5 million people who used HIV preventative medicines in 2024 lost access to them in 2025 due to donor cuts.

World AIDS Day also traditionally coincides with the release of data from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), but it remains unclear if those updates will be issued this year.

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