‘Ridiculous, absurd, unthinkable’: Madonna blasts Trump after he tells government employees to stop doing something they’ve done since 1988

Madonna is speaking out against President Trump’s administration for not recognizing World AIDS Day on December 1. She called the decision “ridiculous,” “absurd,” and “unthinkable.” The pop star shared her thoughts in a strong Instagram post on Monday, criticizing the president for ignoring the ongoing impact of the disease.

According to Rolling Stone, the controversy started after the Department of State told government employees to “refrain from publicly promoting” World AIDS Day. The order told federal workers to avoid public messages, speeches, and social media posts about the event. The United States has officially recognized December 1 as World AIDS Day every year since 1988.

Madonna pointed out the importance of the day in her post. She wrote that for four decades, people from all walks of life have recognized this date around the world. She said millions of people have been affected by the HIV crisis. Many have lost “lovers and husbands and wives and girlfriends and boyfriends and mothers and daughters and children to this deadly disease.”

The pop icon says asking people to forget is absurd

Madonna criticized the administration for trying to erase the memory of the crisis. She wrote, “It’s one thing to order federal agents to refrain from commemorating this day, but to ask the general public to pretend it never happened is ridiculous, it’s absurd, it’s unthinkable.”

The issue is personal for Madonna. She made it clear she believes the president doesn’t understand how serious this decision is. She wrote, “I bet he’s never watched his best friend die of AIDS, held their hand, and watched the blood drain from their face as they took their last breath.” Like a mother who witnessed terrifying wildlife attacks, Madonna understands the trauma of watching someone suffer.

Madonna has supported HIV/AIDS causes for decades. She said she has a long list of friends who died from the disease. She mentioned her former tour manager and roommate, Martin Borgoyne, who died in 1986 at age 23. She also remembered Chris Flynn, her first dance teacher, and artist Keith Haring, who died in 1990.

Madonna reminded people that the crisis isn’t over. There still isn’t a cure for AIDS, and people are still dying from it today. She believes recognizing the day is important to honor those who have been lost. Sometimes valuable things sit forgotten, like an Oxfordshire man’s garage discovery worth millions, until someone brings attention to their significance.

She ended her post by refusing to let the tragedy be forgotten. Madonna wrote, “I refuse to acknowledge that these people have died in vain. And I will continue to honor World AIDS Day, and I hope you will honor it with me.”