The Trump administration is considering a sweeping overhaul of federal health spending and structure, according to a preliminary budget memo. The document, still subject to revision, outlines plans to cut roughly one-third of the federal health budget, eliminate dozens of programs, and consolidate health agencies under a new entity called the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
The internal memo was sent from White House budget officials to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and aligns with the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. If implemented as proposed, the plan would reduce total federal health spending by tens of billions of dollars annually.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would face some of the deepest cuts, with its budget reduced by more than 40%. The proposal calls for eliminating the CDC’s global health center and domestic programs focused on chronic disease and HIV/AIDS prevention.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) would have its budget cut by over 40% and its 27 research institutes consolidated into just eight. Institutes focused on cancer, aging, and infectious diseases would be retained. Others—covering topics like childhood illnesses, mental health, and chronic conditions—would be reorganized into five new research entities.
The proposal also includes the introduction of a salary cap for NIH employees hired under Title 42, a provision that has allowed the agency to bring in “specialized experts” for senior roles. This category has previously included prominent officials such as Dr. Anthony Fauci.
