23 States sues Trump over reckless $11 Billion funding cuts

Twenty-three U.S. states have dragged the Trump administration to court for slashing $11 billion health funding.

According to the Associate Press, the states filed the suit on Tuesday April 1, 2025, in a federal court in Rhode Island.

Top officials include New York’s Attorney General Letitia James and Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser.

Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania also joined the suit.

The District of Columbia is also part of the lawsuit.

The lawsuit challenges the legality of cutting funds meant for COVID-19 and public health programmes.

It claims the Trump administration gave no rational basis or facts to back the decision.

Officials say the cut will harm public health and increase risk during future pandemics.

They say it will also halt essential health services and expose communities to preventable diseases.

The states are asking the court to stop the administration from withdrawing the funds.

Congress had approved the funds during the pandemic for testing, vaccines and health services.

Some of the money also supported mental health and addiction treatment programmes.

Letitia James warned the cut would derail progress on opioid treatment and mental health services.

She said it would also affect hospitals already struggling to treat patients.

The Minnesota Health Department confirmed layoffs of 170 workers on Tuesday.

The agency linked the layoffs directly to the terminated federal grants.

It added that about 300 workers risk losing their jobs in coming weeks.

The department has already withdrawn job offers to nearly 20 people.

The state is losing over $220 million in federal support, officials said.

Commissioner Brooke Cunningham described the federal action as sudden and unexpected.

She said the agency had no option but to proceed with immediate layoffs.

California may lose close to $1 billion, Attorney General Rob Bonta revealed.

He said the money had supported vaccination and substance abuse prevention programmes.

It also funded bird flu prevention efforts across the state.

North Carolina, also part of the suit, may lose $230 million in federal aid.

The cuts may affect local health departments, hospitals, and universities.

Over 80 government jobs and dozens of contractors are at risk, officials said.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson said the cuts were illegal and dangerous.

He warned that halting healthcare programmes without legal grounds puts lives in danger.

Already, over 24 COVID-19 research grants have been cancelled nationwide.

US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) data from March shows COVID-19 still kills over 400 Americans weekly.

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