Judge Condemns Trump Administration's 'Outrageous' NIH Grant Cuts Harming Black Communities

In his four decades as a federal judge, U.S. District Judge William Young stated he had never encountered a case of such overt racial bias. Appointed by Ronald Reagan, he ruled that the Trump administration's reductions to National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants unlawfully discriminated against minority communities. During a hearing involving 16 state attorneys general and various organizations, Young mandated the reinstatement of funds for research projects impacted by the executive orders aimed at “discriminatory” DEI programs. His decision addresses only a fraction of the numerous NIH projects eliminated. Young criticized the administration's actions as “arbitrary and capricious,” violating established governmental procedures. The focus of many terminated grants included health disparities affecting minorities, such as studies on Black women’s maternal health. Young condemned the cuts as discriminatory against individuals of color and the LGBTQ community. His strong remarks represent an unusual stance for a federal jurist, drawing criticism from the White House, which accused him of bias and politicizing the judiciary. The Justice Department plans to appeal Young’s ruling.