In a significant departure from over three decades of precedent, the United States government will no longer officially commemorate World Aids Day, according to recent reports. This decision marks the first time since 1988 that the US will not mark the annual event dedicated to the fight against HIV/Aids.
State Department Directive Halts Public Commemoration
The US State Department has issued directives to its employees and grant recipients, instructing them not to use government funds for events marking World Aids Day on 1 December. An internal email, first reported by journalist Emily Bass and later viewed by the New York Times, explicitly told staff to refrain from publicly promoting the day through any communication channels.
This includes social media, media engagements, speeches, and other public-facing messaging. While employees may still attend related events and discuss the work being done to combat Aids, the public promotion of the day itself has been effectively banned.
A Stark Contrast to Previous Administrations
The new policy represents a dramatic shift from the approach of previous US governments. For every year since 1988, the US has marked 1 December to honour those who have lost their lives to the disease and to highlight ongoing efforts to contain the epidemic.
The directive claims the government's policy is now "to refrain from messaging on any commemorative days, including World AIDS Day". This stance appears inconsistent, given that the Trump administration has issued proclamations for numerous other observances, such as World Intellectual Property Day and National Manufacturing Day.
A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, defended the move to the New York Times, stating, "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."
Broader Implications for Global HIV/Aids Efforts
This policy change occurs against a backdrop of other significant alterations to US global health policy. Since returning to the White House, the Trump administration has cancelled foreign aid programs combating HIV and Aids, scrapped research and prevention resources, and restricted funding for the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar).
Pepfar, established under Republican president George W. Bush, is the government's flagship global HIV program and is estimated to have prevented 25 million premature deaths. World Aids Day has traditionally been when the State Department shares Pepfar's annual progress data with Congress, though it is now unclear if this practice will continue.
The decision emerges just one year after a poignant ceremony on the White House South Lawn, where Joe Biden hosted the first display of the Aids memorial quilt panels, memorialising more than 110,000 lives lost. The contrast between these two approaches underscores the profound shift in US policy towards one of the world's most persistent public health challenges.
The State Department has not yet responded to requests for comment on this reported policy change.
