The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has rescinded approximately $12 billion in federal grants previously allocated to state health departments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to statements from federal and state officials on Wednesday.
These grants were instrumental in tracking, preventing, and managing infectious diseases such as measles and bird flu. They also supported mental health services and addiction treatment programs, prompting sharp criticism from lawmakers and state governors who condemned the decision.
In Lubbock, Texas, public health officials were ordered to halt work funded by three grants that had been aiding efforts to control a growing measles outbreak, according to a spokesperson for city public health director Katherine Wells.
HHS stated that much of the funding had been used for COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and related pandemic responses. Termination notices for these funds began on Monday.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago,” the department said in a statement.
The Trump administration rescinded over $11 billion in funding previously awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with roughly $1 billion in grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Senator Patty Murray noted in a statement.
Washington state lost more than $160 million in funding intended for its health department, Native American tribes, and other community groups. Murray urged the administration to reverse the decision, warning that over 200 jobs were now at risk.
“Senselessly stripping away this funding, which Congress provided, will weaken our state’s ability to protect families from infectious diseases like measles and bird flu, as well as limit access to mental health care and substance use treatment,” Murray stated.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul reported that the Trump administration had informed her office of plans to withdraw over $300 million in funding from the state’s Department of Health, Office of Addiction Supports and Services, and Office of Mental Health. She vowed to fight “tooth and nail” against the cuts.
In Illinois, the Department of Public Health and 97 local health departments lost $125 million in funding intended for infectious disease prevention and control, including efforts against measles and bird flu, according to Democratic Governor JB Pritzker’s office.
Massachusetts also used the withdrawn funds for tracking mental health services, addiction treatment, and other pressing health concerns, Democratic Governor Maura Healey said.
Since taking office on January 20, the Trump administration has sought to reduce government spending by eliminating several programs and cutting funding for agencies it considers wasteful. As a result, many initiatives have been dismantled, with tens of thousands of federal employees losing their jobs.
The federal health department is currently led by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose appointment raised concerns among medical experts due to his controversial views on vaccines. Kennedy has pledged to address chronic diseases as part of his agenda.
