Wed Apr 02 00:05:32 UTC 2025: ## Democratic States Sue Trump Administration Over $11 Billion COVID-19 Grant Cuts

**Providence, RI – April 2, 2025** – Twenty-three Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Trump administration, challenging the cancellation of $11 billion in federal COVID-19 grants. The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island federal court, alleges that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) overstepped its authority by unilaterally reclaiming the funds, which states had already allocated to critical public health programs.

The states argue that the funding was essential for tracking and preventing infectious diseases like measles and bird flu, providing mental health services, and funding addiction treatment. The HHS, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., justified the cuts by stating the COVID-19 pandemic was over and the funds were being misused. The department previously announced that the grants, which included funding from the CDC and SAMHSA, were primarily used for COVID-19 response efforts.

The lawsuit contends that the drastic funding reduction undermines crucial public health initiatives and leaves states scrambling to maintain essential services. The states’ attorneys general and governors maintain that the HHS lacks the legal authority to unilaterally revoke the already-committed funds. The legal battle promises to be a significant challenge to the Trump administration’s approach to pandemic preparedness funding.

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