Trump tells Europe to step up as HIV cuts crisis grows

President lashes out at France and Germany as millions hit by US withdrawal of life-saving funds. Bel Trew reports

- Bel Trew

Donald Trump has accused European countries of not helping with the HIV/Aids pandemic, as the UN warned sweeping US cuts to its HIV response programme will cost millions of lives.

Speaking to The Independent as part of a new documentary on the impact of the cuts, the president said the United States had spent “billions and billions of dollars” to combat the disease and was the “only country” assisting, adding that now it was Europe’s turn to step up.

“Nobody does anything but the United States… Other countries should be helping us with that,” he said onboard Air Force One during a trip back from Florida this month. “We’re the only country. Where are the others? Where is France? Where is Germany? We’ve spent billions and billions of dollars.”

Although the US has by far been the largest funder of HIV support worldwide – providing more than two-thirds of the cash, according to the UN’s Aids agency (UNAIDS) – France, Germany, and the UK are also among the top five contributors globally.

The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) was first introduced by Republican president George W Bush in 2003 and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful responses to a global disease crisis, having saved over 26 million lives.

UNAIDS told The Independent that Pepfar was integral to putting the world on track to end the HIV/Aids pandemic by 2030. But that progress is now in jeopardy.

In a shocking move during the first few hours of his presidency, Mr Trump signed an executive order freezing almost all foreign assistance for 90 days while programmes were reviewed to ensure they aligned with “American interests”.

That included a funding freeze for Pepfar, disrupting supplies and treatment for 20 million people worldwide.