US EditionConfusion remains after Trump administration abruptly halts public health funding to cities and states, then reverses course
The temporary pause aimed to implement a new review process for $5 billion in grants funding public health jobs and emergency preparedness, HHS said.
- On Jan. 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified states it would pause public health grants worth about $5 billion, then lifted the halt within hours.
- After a year of heightened grant scrutiny, the Trump administration briefly halted funds to reassess uses, with HHS saying the pause was to implement a review ensuring alignment with agency priorities.
- The grants fund 50 states and Washington, DC, eight territories, and 48 large localities, supporting lab testing, emergency response, and workforce modernization, with $5.1 billion awarded as of December 2025.
- Officials warned that a freeze would quickly force departments to cut staff and services, with Phil Huang saying Dallas County's grant worth more than $2 million supports disease surveillance and vaccine management.
- OMB's request for detailed state funding lists has heightened concerns about politicization, while the CDC faces staff layoffs and funding cuts under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Confusion swells as Trump administration abruptly halts public health funding to cities and states, then reverses course
As public health departments across the country prepared for a massive winter storm this weekend, notice landed in their inboxes that pivotal grant funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was paused. No more money could be spent.
US Health Department pauses about $5 billion in state public health grants, Bloomberg News reports
Jan 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has sent notices to states and partners pausing public health grants that add up to about $5 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. HHS did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. “The temporary pause is for HHS to implement a new review process and to ensure funds are used for their intended purposes,” a spokesperson for the agency told Bloomb…
US HHS Pauses About $5 Billion in State Public Health Grants
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