A senior health expert overseeing the United States’ major HIV programme has resigned, openly criticising the global health policies of President Donald Trump. Mike Reid, the chief science officer of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, said he stepped down after growing concerns over funding cuts and the political use of foreign health assistance.
Reid, an infectious disease physician who worked within the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, explained that he stayed in the role for nearly eighteen months hoping to protect critical programmes. However, he ultimately concluded that recent policy changes risked undermining long-standing international efforts to fight HIV and support vulnerable communities.
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He argued that linking global health assistance to geopolitical or economic negotiations could weaken trust between the United States and developing nations. Reid pointed to reports suggesting aid for HIV treatment in Zambia might be tied to a proposed minerals agreement with Washington, saying such strategies blur the line between humanitarian work and political leverage.
The State Department later said Reid’s departure occurred by mutual agreement after he acknowledged he could no longer provide nonpartisan scientific guidance under the administration’s policies. Officials also insisted that funding approved by Congress for PEPFAR programmes would continue and that global HIV prevention efforts remain a priority.
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The PEPFAR initiative, launched in 2003 during the presidency of George W. Bush, is widely considered one of the world’s most successful global health programmes. According to official data, it has helped save more than 26 million lives and prevented HIV transmission to nearly 7.8 million babies born to HIV-positive mothers.
Meanwhile, the State Department says its “America First Global Health Strategy” aims to encourage poorer countries to take greater responsibility for managing their own public health systems. Nevertheless, Reid warned that reducing oversight and funding while shifting responsibilities could weaken safeguards against corruption and limit the effectiveness of life-saving HIV programmes worldwide.