The Department of Health and Human Services recently removed a former surgeon general’s warning declaring gun violence a public health crisis to comply with the president’s executive order to protect Second Amendment rights, according to a White House official.
Impact of Removal on Public Health Advocates
Giffords, the gun violence prevention group founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords, announced on Monday that former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s advisory recognizing gun violence as a public health crisis was wiped from the Department of Health and Human Services’ website. Murthy — who was nominated by former President Joe Biden — issued the advisory in June of last year, citing the increasing number of firearm-related injuries and deaths in the U.S.
Response to Executive Order
When asked about the advisory being taken down from the Health and Human Services Department’s website, a department spokesperson told POLITICO that “HHS and the Office of the Surgeon General are complying with President Trump’s Executive Order on Protecting Second Amendment Rights.”
“Illegal violence of any sort is a crime issue, and as he again made clear during his recent speech at the Department of Justice, President Trump is committed to Making America Safe Again by empowering law enforcement to uphold law and order,” a White House official said in a statement to POLITICO about the change.
Policy Implications and Advocacy Efforts
The executive order, which Trump signed last month, directed the federal government to halt existing policies the Trump administration deemed to be in violation of the constitutional right to bear arms. The order also directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to review all actions established by the Biden administration in relation to firearms for possible elimination.
“By removing this important public health advisory with lifesaving resources, President Trump has chosen to prioritize gun industry profits over protecting kids and families,” said Giffords Executive Director Emma Brown in a press release about the move. “Guns have been the number one killer of American children and adolescents since 2020, and non-partisan health care experts have understood gun violence as a public health crisis for years.”
Evolving Policies and Public Reactions
This isn’t the first move by the new Trump administration that has angered firearm safety advocates. Trump effectively shuttered the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention following his return to office, which Democratic lawmakers criticized and urged the president to restore. The office was launched by the Biden administration in 2023 to establish a cross-agency public health approach to gun violence prevention.
Along with the Biden administration, Murthy also served as surgeon general under former President Barack Obama. President Donald Trump tapped Dr. Janette Nesheiwat — a former Fox News medical contributor — for the position in his new administration, though she has yet to be confirmed.
