President Donald Trump on Monday released his final World AIDS Day proclamation.

This year's proclamation once again excluded LGBT people, who are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.

“Today, our Nation joins millions across the globe in remembrance of the precious lives lost to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) –related illnesses, and we reaffirm our support for those living with these diseases,” Trump said. “Thankfully, decades of remarkable advancements and improved understanding have put us within reach of ending its devastating impact. Through increased awareness, revolutionary prevention strategies, and safe and effective treatment regimens, we will soon end the AIDS epidemic once and for all.”

The president highlighted his administration's actions on ending the pandemic. In his 2019 State of the Union address, Trump announced his “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” policy, which relies heavily on blocking transmission of the virus through PrEP.

“Through these and other initiatives we are bringing to a close a painful chapter in human history,” Trump said. “[B]y the end of this decade, we will have eliminated this scourge from our country and released much of the rest of the world from its deadly grip.”

Trump also said that a vaccine is being developed. An HIV vaccine has proven elusive because the virus appears non-threatening to the immune system.

In his proclamation, Trump praised PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which distributes drugs to fight the pandemic across the globe. While he called the program the “most successful health initiative in American history,” the president has sought to slash billions from PEPFAR.

Unlike Trump, former President Barack Obama included LGBT people in his 2016 proclamation, stating that HIV/AIDS predominantly affects “gay and bisexual men, transgender people, youth, black and Latino Americans, people living in the Southern United States, and people who inject drugs.”

Trump concluded his proclamation by urging Americans to join him “in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support and compassion to those living with HIV/AIDS.”