In 2025, AVAC was on the front lines of protecting global gains against the new administration’s illegal and unconscionable cuts to US foreign assistance, including major HIV programs and USAID. On February 10, 2025, AVAC and the Journalism Development Network (JDN), represented by Public Citizen’s Litigation Group, sued the President, the State Department, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and others, seeking emergency relief from an Executive Order that inhumanely froze all funding for foreign assistance.
AVAC’s Mitchell Warren speaks with CNN about the consequences of the US not commemorating World AIDS Day.
The freeze halted the life-saving work of organizations across the globe, contributed to thousands of lives lost and cost thousands of American jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs globally. The freeze forced AVAC to abruptly stop CASPR, a coalition of African civil society organizations that supports research on HIV prevention and provides resources for local communities. AVAC’s lawyer at Public Citizen, Lauren Bateman, said, “The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign assistance funding is dangerous and illegal. When programs are abruptly shuttered, the impacts are felt throughout the world—with the most vulnerable people bearing the deadliest impact.”
AVAC and JDN, along with the Global Health Council and additional plaintiffs in a companion lawsuit, challenged both the suspension of funds as well as the legality of the termination of grants and funding. In court filings, the government argued that these decisions fell under the administration’s foreign policy purview, and disregarded restraining orders and directives from the courts to reinstate funds. Following a series of decisions, appeals and stays, on March 5 the Supreme Court ruled in our favor that the Administration must release up to $2 billion in frozen foreign assistance funding. This ruling was an important win and resulted in back payment to implementing partners and contractors for work completed prior to the freeze.
The devastating impacts of US foreign assistance cuts on global PrEP delivery.
The additional issues at stake—the unlawful “blanket suspension”, cancellation of grants and contracts, and the executive branch “impounding” funds that Congress appropriated—continued to be reviewed by the courts. Critically, if appropriated foreign assistance funds were not spent by September 30, they would be lost. On September 26, the Supreme Court granted the administration’s request to stay a district court injunction in our case that required the administration to obligate $4 billion of foreign assistance funds before they expire on September 30—as required by law—and allowing those life-saving funds to go unspent. The case is currently on hold, pending the outcome of other cases that may impact the ruling.
A map showing the impact of PEPFAR stop work orders on global PrEP services, with the majority being reduced.
At the same time, as the field’s go-to source for tracking and analysis, AVAC rapidly turned to tracking the impact of the stop work orders on HIV research, PrEP delivery and STI research and programming, calling on the US Congress to protect and restore funding. As a result of advocacy leadership by AVAC and partners, along with coordinated messaging through the Save HIV Funding campaign, the US Senate
amended the president’s proposed rescissions package to remove a $400 million cut to already appropriated fiscal year 2025 funding for PEPFAR. The amendment, passed with bipartisan support, was an unexpected win amid escalating attacks on global health. Additionally, the US recommitted to rolling out lenacapavir (LEN) under PEPFAR (albeit without critical funding for LEN in South Africa), and restored funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was included in recent appropriations bills—reflecting moves by Congress to protect critical foreign assistance funding.
“The fight against HIV is a fight for humanity, and it must continue. Now more than ever, we must raise our voices to protect these vital resources and advocate for an HIV response Global PrEP Service Status that prioritizes health equity and social justice.”
“We cannot cede ground gained against HIV and other global health threats out of fear or paralysis in the face of these reckless actions. It is imperative to hold this administration responsible. And it’s imperative to invest in global health and sustain the gains in HIV.”