This is What Pure Evil Looks Like: It’s Time to Act Up and Fight Back
Delray Beach, FL — Truth Wins Out (TWO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating anti-LGBTQ+ extremism and promoting public health, strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate funding for multiple HIV vaccine research initiatives. This move jeopardizes decades of scientific progress and threatens the health and lives of millions worldwide.
The Trump administration’s abrupt cessation of support for HIV vaccine research, including projects at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, and Moderna’s clinical trials, undermines global efforts to eradicate HIV/AIDS. These cuts come despite the ongoing need for innovative prevention strategies, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, issued the following statement:
“President Trump’s decision to dismantle critical HIV vaccine research programs is a reckless and ideologically driven act that endangers public health globally. This short-sighted move ignores scientific evidence and the urgent need for continued innovation in HIV prevention.”
“By halting these vital research initiatives, the administration not only stalls progress toward an HIV vaccine but also sends a dangerous message that the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS are expendable. This is a profound moral failing and a dereliction of leadership. It’s time to Act Up and Fight Back.“
The termination of these programs is part of a broader pattern of cuts to public health initiatives under the Trump administration. Notably, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has canceled over 230 grants for HIV-related research amid a restructuring led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This includes an $18 million grant aimed at preventing transmissions among young people.
Additionally, the administration’s freeze on foreign aid, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has disrupted HIV treatment and prevention services in multiple countries. In Haiti, for example, over 90% of USAID aid reductions have forced key clinics to close, jeopardizing the lives of more than 150,000 people living with HIV or AIDS.
Besen continued:
“The dismantling of HIV research and treatment programs is not just a domestic issue; it’s a global crisis. The United States has long been a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Abandoning this role now, when we are on the cusp of significant breakthroughs, is both irresponsible and inhumane.”
Truth Wins Out calls on activists to hit the streets, as well as Congress, public health officials, and the international community to take immediate action to restore funding for HIV vaccine research and to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Wayne Besen, please contact:
Wayne Besen
Executive Director
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.
