WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign released the below statement today following the release of President Trump’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2020, which contains massive cuts to global AIDS programs just weeks after he promised to “defeat AIDS in America and beyond” at the State of the Union.

Tom Hart, North America executive director for The ONE Campaign:

“Congress will forget this budget by Friday, but the signal it sends to the world’s poorest will be remembered. It’s pretty simple – we can’t end the AIDS crisis by cutting programs proven to fight this disease.”

About President Trump’s budget:

Toplines:

• 24% cut for the international affairs budget. The president’s budget calls for — $42.7 billion, the FY19 enacted was $56.1 billion.
• 30% less than what is needed to continue America’s historic support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The budget requests $1.1 billion for FY20, falling far short of the $1.56 billion needed to ensure the Global Fund meets its replenishment targets. The President’s budget also proposes watering down the historic commitment to match $1 for every $2 provided by other donors to a $1 for every $3 commitment, decreasing the leveraging power of taxpayer dollars.
• 22% cut to PEPFAR. The president’s budget calls for $3.4 billion for PEPFAR, the FY19 enacted was $3.85 billion.

Global AIDS Programs:

This year, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, one of the most effective global health organizations on the planet, will face its 2019 replenishment. In order to meet its replenishment goals, the United States needs to commit to providing $1.56 billion in funding for FY20. The President has proposed only funding at a level of $1.1 billion. This falls far short of what is needed and proposes a reduction in funding at exactly the wrong time.

Traditionally, the United States has contributed $1 to the Global Fund for every $2 contributed by other donors, and that steadfast commitment has been leveraged to incentivize billions of dollars investments from others that would not have otherwise been made. President Trump’s budget dilutes this historic position and calls for a 1:3 match, which weakens the impact of the United States’ investment and reduces the leveraging power of taxpayer dollars.

Moreover, President Trump’s budget includes a 22% cut for PEPFAR. These massive cuts to global AIDS programs come just weeks after President Trump announced at the State of the Union that we would “defeat AIDS in America and beyond.”

About The ONE Campaign

ONE is a policy and advocacy organization with millions of people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Not politically partisan, ONE was co-founded by U2 lead singer Bono to raise public awareness and press political leaders to combat AIDS and other preventable diseases, increase investments in agriculture and nutrition, and demand greater transparency in poverty-fighting programs.