Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Cut $783 Million NIH DEI Funding

The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump's administration to proceed with significant cuts to federal funding in education and health research, particularly targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The Court's 5-4 rulings enabled the cancellation of $783 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants related to DEI research, which includes studies on transgender health and HIV stigma, despite opposition from lower courts and dissenting justices who viewed the cuts as arbitrary and potentially harmful to scientific progress. Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's liberal justices dissented, emphasizing that some cases fell within the jurisdiction of district courts and cautioning against politically motivated decisions. Justice Neil Gorsuch criticized lower courts for ignoring Supreme Court precedents, signaling a tension between the judiciary levels over the interpretation of these rulings. Additionally, a federal judge upheld restrictions that bar Medicaid funding for abortion providers in Maine under Trump's policy, affecting clinics serving low-income patients during ongoing litigation. These decisions reflect the Trump administration's broader agenda to reduce federal oversight and influence in education, research, and healthcare funding, prioritizing state control and policy shifts away from DEI and abortion services.