Title: Judge slams Trump's research grant cancellations: "Never seen government racial discrimination like this"
NIH grant cuts deemed unlawful by judge, with the judge expressing unprecedented discrimination witness in 40 years of service.
Here's a fresh take on the situation:
Breaking News:In a scathing ruling, US District Judge William Young slammed the Trump administration's actions for canceling numerous research grants. Young, a Reagan appointee, labeled the moves as "arbitrary and capricious" and found strong evidence of discrimination against racial minorities and the LGBTQ+ community.
During a hearing on Monday, the judge grilled government lawyers over their justification for canceling grants deemed to focus on gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He raised concerns about how grants studying health disparities - as directed by Congress - could be canceled for DEI reasons.
In his remarks, Young pointed to the alarming "darker aspect" behind the government actions, stating that discrimination was "palpably clear." He added that such discrimination was unprecedented in his 40 years on the bench.
While this ruling only addresses a fraction of the canceled research projects, it's a significant step towards restoring the funding for the affected projects. The decision could be appealed, and the Trump administration is reportedly exploring legal options to challenge the ruling.
California Joins the Battle
The legal challenge to the Trump administration’s research grant cancellations isn't limited to these cases. California, alongside other Democratic states, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump-reshaped National Science Foundation. The lawsuit accuses the administration of imposing ideology and across-the-board cuts, causing significant harm to scientific and economic advancement.
In the California lawsuit, the state's Attorney General, Rob Bonta, emphasized the UC system's reliance on NIH funding. The UC system received more than $2 billion in NIH awards in 2024, while CSU spent over $90 million on NIH-funded research the same year. At the time of filing, the UC system's five health centers were awaiting action on grant proposals totaling $563 million.
A Tightrope for HBCUs
It's not only universities that are feeling the brunt of these research cancellations. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are dependent on federal funding and are navigating a delicate balancing act as they respond to the Trump administration's attacks on DEI initiatives.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as the court battles continue.
References1. Neergaard, L. (2025, June 17). With billions at stake, California joins suit to stop Trump cuts to university science research. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-17/california-joins-suit-to-stop-trump-cuts-to-university-science-research2. Adams, K. (2025, June 17). Federal Judge rules Trump administration’s actions on research grants were 'arbitrary and capricious'. Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/06/federal-judge-rules-trump-administratons-actions-on-research-grants-were-arbitrary-and-capricious/3. PBS NewsHour Analysis: Federal Judgeblocks enforcement of executive orders against DEI and transgender policies, June 17, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/federal-judge-blocks-enforcement-of-executive-orders-against-dei-and-transgender-policies4. NIH scientists publish declaration criticizing Trump's deep cuts in public health research, April 10, 2025, https://www.fiercepharma.com/research/nih-scientists-publish-declaration-criticizing-trumps-deep-cuts-in-public-health-research5. A nosedive in diversity: Trumpcat cuts threaten to widen gaps, https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/22/a-nosedive-in-diversity-trumpcuts-threaten-to-widen-gaps/
- In response to the Trump administration's cancellation of numerous research grants, California and other Democratic states have filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of imposing ideology and across-the-board cuts, which they argue are causing significant harm to scientific and economic advancement.
- The California lawsuit, led by Attorney General Rob Bonta, highlights the reliance of the UC system on National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, receiving more than $2 billion in NIH awards in 2024, while CSU spent over $90 million on NIH-funded research the same year.
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are similarly affected by these research cancellations, as they depend on federal funding and are navigating a delicate balancing act in response to the Trump administration's attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
- US District Judge William Young, in a scathing ruling, labeled the Trump administration's cancellations of research grants focusing on gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion as "arbitrary and capricious" and found evidence of discrimination against racial minorities and the LGBTQ+ community.
- The ruling is a significant step towards restoring funding for affected projects, but the Trump administration is reportedly exploring legal options to challenge the ruling, which could lead to further battles in policy-and-legislation, politics, and general news.
