Amid coronavirus outbreak, Trump proposes slashing CDC budget

Enlarge / US President Donald Trump speaks during a Governor's White House Business Session in Washington, DC, on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. Trump's budget anticipates the gross federal debt would top $30 trillion over the next decade despite deep proposed cuts to social programs. (credit: Getty | Bloomberg)

Amid an explosive outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China that has killed over 1,000 and sickened over 43,000 worldwide, US President Donald Trump proposed a nearly 19 percent budget cut to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-the agency primarily tasked with preparing for and responding to such outbreaks and other serious health threats.

In the president's proposed 2021 federal budget released Monday, the administration says that the changes to the CDC's funding are intended to "re-focus CDC's core mission on preventing and controlling infectious diseases and other emerging public health issues, such as opioids."

The proposal reduces and consolidates CDC funding for programs under the "chronic disease prevention and health promotion" category. That includes programs addressing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, tobacco use, stroke, nutrition, physical activity, and arthritis.

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