Why Donald Trump refused to acknowledge World AIDS Day for the first time in nearly 40 years
President Trump has found himself deep in hot water yesterday, after his administration confirmed he wouldn't be acknowledging World AIDS Day.
On 1 December every year, those who lost their lives as a result of the AIDS pandemic are remembered by mourners all over the world.
The outbreak across the Western world was caused by the spread of HIV infection in the early 80s, and remains an ongoing public health issues to this day, with the United Nations' HIV/AIDS programme UNAIDS reporting that 44.1 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the pandemic.
Despite the global dedication having been in place since in 1988, the US president has given a proclamation for World AIDS Day every year since 1998.
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Last year, Joe Biden hosted a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House with the AIDS Memorial Quilt spread out on the grass.
This year, however, following his controversial return to the White House back in January, Trump refused to give an address, ruling earlier this year that federal funding would no longer be used to commemorate the day.
Last week, a US government representative told the New York Times 'an awareness day is not a strategy', adding that it's now government policy to 'refrain from messaging on any commemorative days'.
State Department representative, Tommy Pignott claimed the United States is 'modernising our approach to countering infectious diseases', promising that 'under the leadership of President Trump', his team were 'working directly with foreign governments to save lives and increase their responsibility'.
As well as refusing to mark the day, Trump has slashed global health spending on HIV and AIDS prevention along with a number of other countries, including the UK.
UNAIDS has warned that the loss of funding will result in 3.3 million more HIV infections than expected in 2030 if the situation isn't addressed.
Yesterday (1 December), as promised, the day passed by without mention.
Unsurprisingly, a number of HIV and AIDS campaign groups voiced their frustration in response - including executive director of prevention organisation AVAC, Mitchell Warren, who hit out: "I think it's emblematic of an administration that doesn't seem to care."
He went on to demand: "Is this a symbolic act? Yes, it is and it symbolises something that is actually devastating and chaotic."
HIV advocacy organisation Health GAP's executive director Asia Russell also slammed the removal of funding as being reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, when the disease was largely stigmatised.
"So what's missing is political will, and that lack of political will was on devastating display when the White House announced that it would ban commemoration of this pandemic," she continued. "It's truly depraved and outrageous."
Madonna has also personally slammed Trump, writing on Instagram: "Donald Trump has announced that World AIDS Day should no longer be acknowledged.
"It’s one thing to order federal agents to refrain from commemorating this day, but to ask the general public to pretend it never happened is ridiculous, it’s absurd, it’s unthinkable.
"I bet he's never watched his best friend die of AIDS, held their hand, and watched the blood drain from their face as they took their last breath at the age of 23."
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News
Rhianna Benson