It became the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, and remained among the leading causes until now. The leading causes of death included suicide, diabetes, kidney disease, and unintentional injury. “What this administration is doing is going to make the top ten causes of death worse,” says Ethier. She notes that President Trump’s FY 2026 budget targets the CDC division that’s focused on preventing chronic diseases for elimination in. This includes the office that deals with smoking, a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and some cancers.