Trump is Replacing Hope with Hopelessness and Exporting Death in the Name of America First, Asserts TWO
Delray Beach, FL– Truth Wins Out (TWO) harshly condemned the Trump administration today after a bombshell New York Times report revealed that the White House is laying the groundwork to phase out PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the most successful global HIV/AIDS initiative in history. The move would effectively gut a program that has saved more than 25 million lives and transformed the global fight against HIV.
“This is one of the most shameful, immoral, and politically motivated betrayals of human life in modern American history,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “The Trump administration is choosing to condemn millions to needless suffering and death, all to appease the far-right ideologues who have turned global health into a partisan punching bag. This isn’t just policy—it’s a crime against humanity.”
According to internal documents obtained by The Times, officials at the State Department are developing a strategy to shift the U.S. away from directly funding HIV treatment and prevention in dozens of countries. Instead, the administration would begin “transitioning” these nations off U.S. assistance over the next several years—despite clear evidence that many are unprepared to absorb the cost and infrastructure burdens themselves.
A Program That Changed the World
Created in 2003 under President George W. Bush, PEPFAR is widely regarded as the most impactful global health initiative ever undertaken by the United States. It has:
- Provided HIV treatment to more than 20 million people in over 50 countries
- Prevented over 5.5 million babies from being born with HIV
- Helped reduce HIV-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa by over 70%
- Built healthcare infrastructure in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities
For more than two decades, PEPFAR has enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. Its success has been hailed across the political spectrum as a shining example of American leadership and compassion.
“To now pull the plug is an act of stunning cruelty,” said Besen. “Donald Trump is dismantling a program that has literally kept the global AIDS crisis from spiraling out of control. He is replacing hope with hopelessness and exporting death in the name of America First.”
Faith-Based Sabotage: The Real Agenda
The revelation comes after months of right-wing attacks on PEPFAR by evangelical and conservative groups. Some of these groups—including the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council, and anti-LGBTQ extremist organizations—falsely claimed that PEPFAR funding was being used to promote abortion and LGBTQ rights overseas, despite no credible evidence.
“Let’s be clear: this plan was born in the fever swamp of anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice fanaticism,” said Besen. “They’ve taken one of America’s proudest achievements and turned it into a casualty of their culture war. The consequences will be deadly.”
Catastrophic Global Consequences
Health experts have warned that ending or significantly curtailing PEPFAR would lead to an immediate surge in deaths, new infections, and orphaned children. Many countries that rely on PEPFAR lack the resources to sustain care without it.
- A modeling study cited by The Times suggests up to 2.93 million additional AIDS-related deaths by 2030 if PEPFAR funding is cut
- An estimated 10.75 million new HIV infections could occur over the next five years without PEPFAR
- Women and children would be disproportionately affected, especially in sub-Saharan Africa
“It’s genocide by spreadsheet,” said Besen. “The people in the Trump administration don’t need bullets or bombs to kill. They just quietly defund programs, strangle health systems, and walk away from the carnage.”
Truth Wins Out Calls for Urgent Congressional Intervention
“There is still time to stop this catastrophe,” said Besen. “Republicans and Democrats must come together as they have for 20 years and say: America will not abandon the people of the world in their darkest hour. We must choose compassion over cruelty. We must choose life over death.”
About Truth Wins Out
Truth Wins Out is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works to advance liberty and democracy, protect the rights of LGBTQ people and other minorities, combat religious extremism, and fight against the spread of disinformation.
CONTACT:
Contact Wayne Besen, Executive Director
Email: wbesen@truthwinsout.org