South African Priest Urges Trump to Reconsider Funding Cuts, Show Mercy to Women and Children in Gaza

The member of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans – OP) expressed concern about the potential impact of the decision to halt funding for antiretroviral (ARV) programs in South Africa, a move he said puts many lives at risk.

Citing estimates shared at a recent civil society meeting in South Africa, he warned that nearly 500,000 people could lose their lives this year and the next due to the cessation of ARV support.

For South Africa, which has 8 million people living with HIV and 150,000 new infections each year, reports indicate that the effects could be dramatic.

The country is the largest recipient of USAID’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), receiving $462 million in fiscal year 2023.

Science Magazine reports that if PEPFAR's funding is not replaced, South Africa could experience 565,000 additional new HIV infections and 601,000 more deaths from the virus by 2034.

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In his March 18 reflection, Fr. Muyebe also urged President Trump to reconsider actions affecting Palestinians in Gaza. He said, “Please show your mercy and compassion to the women and children in Gaza. Stop your plans to remove two million Palestinians from their land.”

In a February 4 statement, President Trump disclosed plans for the U.S. to “take over” the Gaza Strip and the need for the Palestinian population to be moved.

The move to take over Gaza and relocate its Palestinian population, others have said, would amount to an alarming escalation of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.

In his reflection, Fr. Muyebe addressed the President based on the impact of decisions in Gaza and South Africa, saying, “I know you want to be the greatest president in the world, and that is what we are praying for. But your greatness, as the most powerful president in the world, will be seen in the way you make decisions that reveal the power of God's mercy and compassion and renew the hope that God wants to give to the most vulnerable in this world.”

Fr. Muyebe appealed for solidarity with the poor in the Global South, who he said are disproportionately affected by climate change which is likely to extend into the future.

He highlighted how decisions, such as the United States withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, exacerbate floods, droughts, and food insecurity.

Fr. Muyebe asserted that the greatness of powerful nations lies in their capacity to show solidarity with the world's most vulnerable populations.

He compared the behavior of some global powers to the Pharisees criticized in the Gospel, saying, “The focus is on themselves and not on the most vulnerable in society.”

He challenged the prevailing narratives of "America first" and similar slogans, arguing that they undermine global solidarity and compassion.

Fr. Muyebe called for collective prayer during Lent, urging Christians to seek God’s mercy and learn to extend it to others. He said, "We should ask the Lord to teach all of us—not only President Trump—that we should be merciful just as the heavenly Father is merciful."

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Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.