Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday issued a statement that acknowledges World AIDS Day. “On World AIDS Day, we mourn all those we’ve lost and reaffirm our commitment to end the global AIDS epidemic,” tweeted Pompeo.
Pompeo’s statement did not explicitly acknowledge LGBTQ people who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS since the epidemic began nearly four decades ago.
Pompeo, however, noted the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS around the world. “Thanks to PEPFAR, we’ve saved 20 million lives, prevented millions of HIV infections and strengthened global health security in over 50 countries around the world,” tweeted Pompeo.