Trump Administration Set to Destroy $12M in HIV Drugs and Contraceptives After Dismantling USAID

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing harsh criticism after a report revealed that approximately $12 million worth of HIV-prevention drugs and contraceptives purchased by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are now likely to be destroyed.

The medical supplies — including over 26 million condoms, 2 million doses of injectable birth control, millions of oral contraceptive packs, and 50,000 vials of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug that prevents HIV infection — have been sitting in warehouses in Belgium and the UAE since January 2025, when Trump abruptly cut USAID’s funding and began the process of dismantling the agency.

“Sell it or trash it” directive

According to The Washington Post, negotiators have been instructed to either find buyers for the stockpile or prepare to dispose of the supplies entirely.

“The mandate that [the USAID negotiator] has been given is ‘get us money for it, and if you can’t do that, we’re just going to trash it,’” said a source familiar with the situation.

The shipments had been earmarked for 18 developing countries, including nations across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, where millions depend on foreign health aid to prevent HIV and unintended pregnancies.

Backlash from experts and former USAID officials

Public health experts and former USAID leaders have condemned the decision.

“It’s inconceivable,” said Dr. Atul Gawande, a former assistant administrator at USAID.

Andrew Natsios, former head of the agency, went further: “At this point, just give it away instead of destroying it, for heaven’s sakes.”

The administration’s move is expected to derail global HIV/AIDS prevention goals. The Independent previously reported that if international HIV aid efforts are halted, AIDS-related deaths could surge from six million to 10 million within five years.

Moreover, 3.4 million children could lose a parent to AIDS, and 600,000 babies could be born with HIV by 2030, reversing two decades of progress.

Real-life consequences already unfolding

In Uganda, a 27-year-old mother of three named Hadja shared with The Independent that she has already lost access to critical medication.

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“Our lives depend on medicine – without it, our lives are shortened,” she said. “If I die, my children will suffer.”

State Department dismisses report as ‘fake news’

A senior State Department official, responding to the story, dismissed the Washington Post report, calling it “fake news” and claiming it was “full of inaccuracies.”

However, critics point to Trump’s January remarks in which he justified the USAID shutdown by claiming that foreign aid no longer aligns with ‘American interests’. The administration is also reportedly preparing to propose $8.3 billion in further cuts to global aid programs, including those targeting climate change and LGBTQ+ rights.