Trump Administration Cuts NIH Research Grants by $8 Billion in Second Year
The Trump administration approved far fewer research grants from the National Institutes of Health in its second year, cutting $8 billion in funding from February to June compared to the previous year. The agency screened grant applications for certain terms and lost key staff members.
The National Institutes of Health approved dramatically fewer research grants in Trump's second year, with funding falling $8 billion below previous levels from February to June.
By summer 2025, NIH funding lagged $2 billion behind the average pace - a 41% drop. The agency delayed or canceled so many grants that it seemed unlikely to spend the full $36 billion Congress had set aside for outside research projects.
Two main factors drove the slowdown. The administration renewed efforts to screen grant applications for terms it considered problematic. The NIH also lost personnel who normally process and approve grants.
A government watchdog later found the funding delays were illegal and violated Congress's spending decisions. This marked the fifth time the administration defied congressional funding directives.
The NIH tried to catch up later in the year, spending at a much faster pace to narrow the funding gap. But the delays still meant months of stalled medical research across universities and labs nationwide.
NIH grants fund medical research that leads to new treatments for cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses. Fewer grants mean slower progress on finding cures and treatments that could help you and your family stay healthy.
Watch for congressional hearings on the illegal funding delays and efforts to restore normal grant processing.
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