White House asks for $16B in cuts to HHS, more money for war
President Donald Trump’s administration is asking Congress for $111.1 billion in 2027 to cover the operating costs of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including all its agencies and programs. The figure represents a $15.8 billion cut from fiscal year 2026—something the White House said was made possible by staffing cuts, defunded programs and restructuring that made HHS more efficient.
The figures were revealed in the administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, which it released Friday.
The White House said the necessary $111.1 billion—a reduction in spending of 12.5%—includes “appropriations for program integrity and the 21st Century Cures Act,” meaning all existing laws and federal healthcare programs are included in the figure.
MAHA in focus
First and foremost mentioned in the budget proposal is Trump’s “Make America Health Again (MAHA)” agenda, which emphasizes a focus on nutrition as a path to reduce public reliance on programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That initiative is run through a new agency at HHS, the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which the White House said it will need $19 million to fund in 2027—money that it’s factored in with this request to Congress.
“The federal government will lead a coordinated transformation of America’s food, health and scientific systems to ensure that all Americans live longer through the establishment of AHA. Within AHA, the budget includes $19 million to expand access to nutrition services at health centers by integrating nutritional care and expanding access to healthy food and nutrition education,” the Trump administration wrote.
This investment in MAHA—the only one it mentions—apparently includes multiple factors, including the establishment of “Health Centers” to promote nutritional education, as well as carveouts for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used for the purpose of strengthening “national nutritional and food safety by removing unsafe chemicals in America’s food supply.”
The administration said it will also be tasking the FDA with developing “alternatives to animal testing” and expanding the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. All in all, the White House is asking for $57 million to fund these activities.
The budget also highlights $55 million in spending for “new Infection Prevention and Healthy and Safe Food initiatives within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)” to be used in tackling “antimicrobial-resistant threats as well as pervasive micro- and nano-plastics to ensure food and water is safe and clean for all Americans.”
Rounding out the list, the White House said, it will also increase spending on the Chronic Care Telehealth Centers for Excellence program by $20 million, with another $8 million going to the Telehealth Nutrition Services Network Grant Program.
Another $19 million will be sent to “Tribes” for the purpose of establishing a new “Prevention Innovation Program.”
In total, the White House is envisioning $121 million of the $111.1 billion being used for investments in all of the above, which it placed under the MAHA banner. The rest of the funding will be for core HHS operations and programs, including Medicare.
Cuts to services, more funding for war
As for how it will save money to make the slimmer budget possible, the administration highlighted cuts and eliminations to numerous programs, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Refugee Resettlement Program, Unaccompanied Alien Children assistance, the Community Services Block Grant and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, among others.
The White House said this shift in priorities “refocuses HHS on its core mission by eliminating bloated, woke and inefficient programs that do not advance MAHA goals.”
Notably, the budget proposal is looking to cut 10% of federal spending across the board—the exception being the Department of War, formerly called the Department of Defense. As the war in Iran ramps up, Trump’s White House is asking for a 44% hike for defense and military programs, bringing total spending in that area to $1.5 trillion in 2027.
Ultimately it’s unclear what Congress will decide to do, as it is the branch of government that controls the purse and allocates funds. The budget released on Friday is merely what the President is requesting from the legislature.
In the past, Congress has opted to increase HHS funding despite requests from the White House to cut spending.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.