The pause, which was first reported by The Washington Post on Jan. 21, extends to federal health agencies’ public communications, including website updates and social media posts. It is typical for new administrations to review agencies’ announcements and operations to ensure they align with their priorities and positions, although the scope of the current freeze under President Donald Trump’s leadership is unique.
In a statement to Nextgov/FCW, an HHS spokesperson said the pause extends to “mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health.”
Just this week, two planned events — the 2025 AFCEA Bethesda Health IT Summit and the HHS Industry Summit — were indefinitely postponed as a result of the order.
In a statement, AFCEA Bethesda said the summit was delayed “due to the majority of speakers withdrawing their participation in the event” and that it hoped to reschedule the gathering later in 2025. The summit was scheduled to start on Jan. 28.
The HHS Industry Summit, which was set to begin on Feb. 10, was also postponed to a later date. The events page did not mention the department’s freeze but said “we will share the new date and further details as soon as they become available.”
In a Tuesday memo to HHS staff, acting ..
Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.
