Several upcoming health summits have had to be postponed following the Trump administration’s order that employees of the Department of Health and Human Services and its sub-agencies refrain from external communications or work-related appearances amid the presidential transition.
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 department head Dorothy Fink said the pause applies until Feb. 1 and halts most communications until they can be reviewed by a presidential appointee.
“This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization,” The HHS spokesperson said. “There are exceptions for announcements that HHS divisions believe are mission critical, but they will be made on a case by case basis.”
It remains unclear if the freeze will continue past Feb. 1, however, given that Trump’s nominee to lead HHS — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — has drawn criticism from Democrats and Republicans for his stated medical positions. The Senate Finance Committee is slated to hold Kennedy’s confirmation hearing on Jan. 29.
