The US public health system is coming under mounting pressure as President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 will slash funding to vital health agencies and programs. The cuts have elicited criticism from healthcare professionals, scientists and regulators who warn that the USA’s ability to respond to health threats will be dangerously compromised.
Deep cuts among health agencies
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal will cut public health funding by allocating US$93.8 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which represents a 26.2% cut from the 2025 budget. Key public health institutions will bear the brunt:
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) will receive US$17.96 billion less
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will receive US$3.58 billion less
- Health Resources and Services Administration will receive US$1.73 billion less
- Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services will receive US$674 million less
- Food and Drug Administration will receive US$409 million less
- Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response will receive US$240 million less.
- Agency for Health Research and Quality will receive US$129 million less
Funding losses, health crises and the less well-off
The proposed budget cuts are largely being viewed as controversial, with experts pointing out the inappropriate timing, as well as impact on those less well-off.
The timing of the budget cuts has raised concerns as the country is facing a measles outbreak with 1,088 cases and three confirmed deaths. Specifically, US$8.9 billion has been cut from efforts to prevent infectious disease, and US$2 billion from immunization programs that target areas that are vital to address today’s health threats.
In March, state and local health departments saw US$11 billion in funding cut, which put an end to COVID-era grants. This move came despite the fact that COVID-19 continues to pose a threat, with the virus still having claimed lives at a rate of 0.4% in previous weeks, and the World Health Organization noting a surge in cases globally, including in America, that is being driven by a new PL.8.1 variant.
The drastic reduction in funding for the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program is also being viewed as one of the most controversial elements of the proposal. WIC serves 6.7 million recipients who, from 2026, are likely to face a dramatic cut in their benefits:
- Breastfeeding mothers’ fruit and vegetable benefits from US$52 to US$13
- Young children’s benefits from US$26 to US$10.
Health agencies’ staff laid off
Amid the expected cuts, the National Institutes of Health have already announced 1,200 staff layoffs, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has eliminated 3,500 jobs with potential further restructuring. HHS has justified the layoffs as a means to save US$1.8 billion, a tiny portion of its US$2 trillion budget.
See also: The USA’s social safety system under threat, tens of millions likely to be affected
Scientific, medical communities raise alarm
Although the proposed cuts still require Congressional approval, they have already faced opposition from healthcare and scientific communities. Public health experts warn that the cuts will severely limit the ability of the CDCP to monitor health threats and respond to disease outbreaks. Meanwhile, Democrats have swiftly condemned the bill, with Senator Patty Murray calling it a “draconian proposal” that’s “dead on arrival” in Congress.
Furthermore, medical experts state that the cuts could reverse decades of progress in biomedical research. Lisa Lacasse, the President of America Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, warned:
“Decades of federal investment in NIH and National Cancer Institute research have driven major medical breakthroughs, including cancer treatment advances, resulting in over 18 million U.S. cancer survivors. However, the proposed funding cuts would severely hinder progress, particularly with over 618,000 Americans expected to die from cancer this year.”
A new health agency?
In contrast to the cuts, the administration proposes to create a new agency – the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) which will have a US$14 billion budget to support “Make America Healthy Again” initiatives. The HHS reorganization plan will consolidate 28 agencies into 15 and establish a new Make America Health Again Commission with US$500 million in funding.
Despite criticism, the HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, expressed optimism:
“HHS restructuring aims to boost efficiency and service quality by cutting waste, with a guarantee that no American will be left behind.”.
USA’s healthcare system already underperforming
According to a report by the Commonwealth Fund, the U.S. ranked last in healthcare performance among 10 high-income countries in 2024, despite having the highest spending. Americans are more likely to be sicker, die younger, and face greater difficulty in affording care – problems that many believe the announced budget cuts will only worsen.
