California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, February 6, 2026, against the Trump administration over plans to illegally slash more than $600 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants, with the possibility of additional cuts in the future.
According to an official statement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Congress of its intent to cancel grants in only four Democratic-leaning states: California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. These grants fund critical public health infrastructure, laboratories, prevention and treatment programs for serious diseases such as HIV, and emergency preparedness capabilities.
Of the four states, California faces the largest share of proposed funding reductions, while the other states would see smaller cuts. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that the cuts would cause irreparable harm and are motivated by political animus rather than public health considerations.
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Attorney General Bonta accused the Trump administration of using “a familiar playbook” to leverage federal funds to push a political agenda.
“President Trump is not above the law, but he continues to act as if he is,” he wrote. “My fellow attorneys general and I will not be silenced. We will continue taking him to court any time he takes unlawful actions.”
The lawsuit seeks to protect federal public health funds and ensure that critical programs continue uninterrupted, safeguarding millions of residents in the affected states.
