Supreme Court lets Trump slash DEI grants at NIH

Axios – Thursday, August 21, 2025
By Adriel Bettelheim

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to proceed with cuts to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of National Institutes of Health grants tied to diversity, equity and inclusion studies.

Why it matters: The order boosts Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to reshape the biomedical research agency, including cutting funding for research the administration says doesn’t support NIH’s mission.

Driving the news: The justices split 5-4 on a Justice Department request to reverse a June U.S. District Court decision that ordered the funding restored on the grounds that the grant terminations were illegal.

• It was the latest case of the high court siding with the administration and clearing away hurdles lower courts erected to President Trump’s second-term agenda.
• Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s liberal justices in dissenting, saying the cuts should remain blocked.
• The justices did, however, allow the blocking of guidance documents for carrying out future cuts while the underlying case plays out.

The order is procedural and temporary in nature. Sixteen states sued the administration in April over the grant terminations in a proceeding that’s ongoing.

Catch up quick: The cuts surrounded $783 million worth of research the administration accused of prioritizing ideological agendas. Attorneys representing researchers said the cuts were arbitrary and affected people of color, women and LGBTQ+ people.

• In halting the cuts, U.S. District Court Judge William Young told the attorneys the case raises serious concerns about racial discrimination, and said some evidence points to potential discrimination against women’s health.

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