Public Citizen Sues Trump’s State Department for Failing to Disclose Health Agreements with Several African Nations
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public Citizen on Friday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department for failing to produce records responsive to six Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for copies of health-funding agreements between the U.S. and several African nations under the America First Global Health Strategy.
From December 2025 to February 2026, the U.S. entered into dozens of agreements with African and Latin American nations that create bilateral frameworks for health funding under Trump’s America First Global Health Strategy. Public Citizen submitted FOIA requests to the State Department for copies of these agreements. The State Department has not responded to the requests.
In each request, Public Citizen sought the text of the health assistance agreements, as well supporting documentation such as financing agreements, budget tables, agreements to share data and specimens, and any implementation plans.
The Trump Administration has stated that it intends to make health assistance contingent upon its foreign policy priorities, such as access to other nations’ mineral and other natural resources. The New York Times reported that the U.S. is considering holding back lifesaving assistance to over a million HIV patients in Zambia if the country does not grant greater U.S. access to its mineral resources.
“Congress made FOIA deadlines strict because it recognized how important it is for the public to be able to learn, in real time, what our government is doing,” said Lauren Bateman, a Public Citizen lawyer on the case. “Those deadlines have passed and the agency must release the requested records. The public has a right to know about the federal government’s current approach to foreign assistance.”
“The State Department’s secrecy degrades America’s standing as a partner and may cost lives,” said Peter Maybarduk, Public Citizen Access to Medicines Director. “There is no compelling reason for keeping these aid agreements secret. The affected communities, service providers and experts need to be able to read the text, to prepare for implementation and know what could change for health, and to advocate for improvements in future deals.”
Earlier this month, the State Department published, then removed, the text of five agreements on its website. Public Citizen called attention to the temporarily published agreements and made the five that were posted available on our website. To date, the U.S. government has signed 27 agreements with countries in Africa and Latin America.