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US pop star Madonna performs onstage during a free concert at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 4, 2024. . Madonna ended her "The Celebration Tour" with a performance attended by some 1.5 million enthusiastic fans.

Pop icon Madonna publicly criticized former President Donald Trump after US government workers were told not to acknowledge World AIDS Day, a day the country has marked since 1988.

Her comments, shared in a heartfelt Instagram post, quickly sparked attention as she urged people not to ignore the ongoing impact of the disease.

Madonna began by reminding her followers why Dec. 1 matters. "Today is World AIDS Day," she wrote, noting that people across the globe have honored the date for more than 40 years.

She explained in simple terms that millions of families have been touched by HIV and AIDS and that loved ones have been lost in every community.

She then condemned Trump for refusing to recognize the day. Calling the move "ridiculous" and "unthinkable," Madonna criticized the decision not only to stop federal agents from commemorating World AIDS Day but also to discourage the public from doing the same, Billboard reported.

She said ignoring such a serious issue "pretend[s] it never happened," something she felt was deeply wrong.

Madonna Honors Friends Lost to AIDS

Her comments came after the Department of State instructed employees to "refrain from publicly promoting" World AIDS Day in speeches, social media posts, and other public messages.

The directive also told workers not to use government funds to acknowledge the day, following a broader policy to limit attention toward commemorative observances.

Madonna shared that the disease is not just a global crisis to her—it is personal.

According to RollingStone, she wrote about losing her roommate and former tour manager, Martin Borgoyne, who died of AIDS in 1986 at only 23.

"I bet he's never watched his best friend die of AIDS," she said, pointing to the painful memory of holding Borgoyne's hand as he took his final breath.

She also mentioned others she loved and lost, including her first dance teacher, Chris Flynn, and the well-known artist Keith Haring, who died in 1990.

She said her list of friends affected by AIDS is "pretty long," and she believes many people can relate to that kind of loss.

Originally published on Music Times