Southern Mayors Warn Trump Administration: Cuts to HIV and STI Funding Threaten Public Health, Economic Stability

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of Southern mayors, facilitated by Ohio River South, is calling on the Trump Administration to reverse course on proposed budget cuts and a potential reorganization within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that could dismantle key HIV and STI prevention programs and jeopardize national progress toward ending the HIV epidemic.

In a joint letter sent this week to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the mayors raise alarms about the possible elimination of the CDC's Division of HIV Prevention, along with reduced funding for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative, and the CDC Division of STD Prevention.

"As Mayors who represent cities in southern states, we have a considerable number of individuals living with HIV within our jurisdictions," the mayors wrote. "Any disruption to existing HIV funding and programs will undoubtedly impede our progress in reducing new HIV transmissions and other related infectious diseases, increase healthcare costs, and could quickly erase the progress made over the last six years."

The mayors' letter points to stark realities:

• 53% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2022 occurred in the South.
• Every infection prevented saves an average of $1.1 million in additional lifetime healthcare costs.
• Even a modest decline in access to PrEP and testing could result in 8,000 additional infections annually, adding nearly $2 billion in avoidable long-term costs.

The mayors also flagged historic spikes in STI rates—including the highest levels of syphilis since the 1950s—and warned that cuts to the CDC's STD Division would hinder states' ability to track and respond to outbreaks.

Framing the issue as both a health equity and fiscal responsibility challenge, the mayors urged the administration to preserve FY 2025 funding levels for all four critical programs. They stressed that dismantling the HIV prevention infrastructure now would not only cost lives—it would cost billions.

"The letter from Southern mayors could not come at a more urgent time," added the Southern AIDS Coalition. "These mayors are sending a clear, unified message: prevention efforts cannot be sidelined. The proposed federal restructuring and ongoing budget threats put lives and public health infrastructure at risk. We applaud the leadership of these mayors for standing up for their cities, for their residents, and for people living with and vulnerable to HIV. In a region bearing the brunt of the epidemic, preserving funding for prevention, treatment, and surveillance is essential. Their leadership is a reminder that ending the HIV epidemic starts with courageous local action and a refusal to accept preventable loss as the status quo."

The full letter is available here and participating mayors are available for interviews upon request.

Media Contact:
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SOURCE Ohio River South