ACLU and Researchers Challenge Trump’s NIH Grant Terminations in Class Action

Last month, 17 former recipients of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in a California federal court against the NIH, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and others. The complaint targets recent administrative policies and mid-cycle grant terminations which they claim were intended to realign research funding with the Trump administration’s political priorities by restricting or defunding projects related to topics such as climate change, diversity, and LGBTQ issues. Represented by several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), plaintiffs allege that these directives violate the First Amendment and the federal Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by imposing unconstitutional viewpoint-based restrictions on scientific research.