Decimated public health systems, a depleted federal workforce and the deletion of safety nets that maintain the health security of America are all outcomes of President Trump’s first 100 days

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Media Relations

Statement from APHA Executive Director Georges C Benjamin, MD

In January, we spoke of looking forward to the opportunity to work with the Trump Administration to keep building on the Biden Administration’s health policy successes and address current issues plaguing our nation like chronic health problems. However, in the first 100 days of Trump’s administration, we’ve witnessed the gutting of our public health systems, removal of data and spread of misinformation, making America less secure and healthy. Our nation is clearly being led down the wrong path, assuming we care about preventing injury, illness and disease and providing everyone with the opportunity to lead long and healthy lives. The American Public Health Association is deeply concerned about the direction our country is headed. President Trump is receiving advice from people who don’t put America first and acting on this advice is hurting the nation, not protecting it. A series of executive orders has undermined the work of federal public health agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the selection of individuals to lead the agency without the needed background to improve people’s health has already endangered us all.

Some of the administration’s many actions harming the health of communities across the nation include:

• Executive Orders targeting and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion in federal health policies and agencies: This will lead to discrimination and a lack of support for those communities most in need.
• RIFs and Restructuring of HHS: The federal government needs to lead the way in providing essential funding, leading research, delivering technical assistance, analyzing and approving drugs as safe and effective, tracking and identifying health trends, developing science-based guidance and sharing key health information for the public to make critical life and health decisions. It can’t effectively do this with such drastic and chaotic cuts that Secretary Kennedy can't articulate why departments were eliminated.
• Cancellation of Grants and Closure of programs: This robs nonprofits and communities of the funding to execute previously approved programs aimed at supporting health.
• Removal of research and data: Research not supporting the administration’s objectives has been disappearing and won’t be collected further by the federal agencies, limiting our ability to measure progress and leading to questions regarding the validity of future research data. The research advisory committees are also losing independence and influence.
• Intentional disinformation on science and transparency: The actions of President Trump and RFK Jr are discrediting science and spreading harmful misinformation. Reactions and comments regarding the measles outbreak provide clear examples.

President Trump has only been in office for 100 days. Yet, the negative impact of these actions, and others, will be felt for years. Research projects that are ended midstream, can’t just be resumed as if nothing happened. The brain drain from firings can’t be easily fixed and the haphazard nature of how they happened will discourage people from considering federal employment for decades. Trust in science and federal agencies will take years to rebuild. During those years, people will needlessly suffer from disease and preventable harm.

We urge President Trump to direct his administration to focus on actions that will Make America Healthy, as he has said is his goal. At the same time, we implore members of Congress to stand up to Trump and fight for the health of the nation. We call on the nation to speak for health.

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The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. With our broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, we influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.