Colorado filed a lawsuit Wednesday to prevent the Trump administration from canceling more than $25 million in public health grants. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Congress on Monday that it would not pay $600 million worth of grants already awarded in Colorado, California, Illinois, and Minnesota—all states led by Democratic governors. The four states have asked a federal court in Illinois’ Northern District to issue an order preventing the federal government from withholding the funds while their lawsuit proceeds.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office stated that the existing grants totaled about $22 million, and the cuts would reduce Colorado’s future public health funding by an estimated $4 million. The funding comes through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and supports developing public health infrastructure and workforce, as well as finding and preventing sexually transmitted infections. One Colorado recipient using a $371,000 grant was increasing HIV testing around Denver and Colorado Springs, with a focus on gay and bisexual men of color. The federal government has not explained why it cut grants only for these four states, though an HHS spokesperson said the targeted grants “don’t align with the administration’s priorities.”
The suing states argued that the cuts are illegal because they are “arbitrary and capricious” and intended to punish states with leadership opposed to President Donald Trump. Colorado Attorney General Weiser stated: “The president has repeatedly threatened to cut off federal funds to Colorado for purely political reasons. The abrupt termination of CDC funds would have immediate and irreversible impacts on Colorado’s public health system and critical services for communities across the state.”
This action is part of a broader pattern of federal actions affecting Colorado. The Trump administration has attempted to withhold child care funds, though courts have required the money to continue flowing; the Department of Energy has laid off more than 200 employees at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden; the Federal Emergency Management Agency declined to help fund recovery efforts in parts of the state affected by fires and floods; and Space Command’s headquarters is moving from Colorado Springs to Alabama.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.journal-advocate.com/2026/02/11/colorado-sues-trump-public-health-grants/