Democratic-Led States Sue Trump Over Health Agency Gutting

Multiple Democratic-led states are pushing back against the Trump administration's controversial move to downsize the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The states filed a lawsuit on Monday, contending that the administration's decision to lay off 10,000 employees violates the constitution and strips the department of essential resources.

Attorneys general from 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, presented their case in federal court in Providence, Rhode Island. They argue that the cuts, announced by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy in late March, compromise the department's ability to perform its key functions.

The lawsuit marks a significant step by state officials to challenge federal actions they deem detrimental to public health infrastructure. The reduction involves not just job cuts but also the closure of entire agencies within the department, a move perceived as weakening the nation's health services.

(With inputs from agencies.)