A Massachusetts federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants were unlawful and discriminatory, ordering that many of the grants be reinstated.
In a ruling issued Monday, U.S. District Judge William Young declared the terminations “illegal” and “void,” criticizing the NIH for cancelling over $1 billion in grant funding earlier this year due to perceived ties to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The decision follows a lawsuit brought by researchers and several Democratic-led states who said the terminations amounted to an ideological purge.
Judge Young, a Ronald Reagan appointee, condemned the move as discriminatory, stating in court that the cuts reflected “racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community.” He said in his 40 years on the bench, he had never seen such evidence of bias.
The NIH defended its actions by asserting its discretion in determining research priorities. However, the judge ruled that the agency failed to follow lawful procedures and arbitrarily undermined critical public health work.
Monday’s decision reinstates grants awarded to organizations involved in the lawsuit. Judge Young also suggested that a broader ruling could follow, potentially requiring further restoration of funding across the NIH.
The ruling came days after NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya publicly acknowledged missteps in the agency’s actions during a Senate committee hearing.
“I didn’t take this job to terminate grants,” Bhattacharya said, adding that he had implemented an appeals process and that many of the terminated grants had already been reinstated.
Bhattacharya, a health economist who joined the Trump administration from Stanford University, said the NIH must focus on research that improves the nation’s health — not ideological concerns.
“I took this job to ensure we do the research that advances the health needs of the American people,” he said.
With input from Al Jazeera
