In a sweeping move to redirect taxpayer resources toward core health priorities, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has terminated over 500 federally funded research grants—worth more than $350 million—that were allocated to gender ideology and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-focused projects.
The decision comes as part of the Trump administration’s broader agenda to eliminate federal support for left-wing ideological programs embedded in government spending.
What Was Cut
Among the grants terminated were:
-
A study exploring “gender-affirming hormone therapy in mice”
-
A $5 million grant to Vanderbilt University to hire at least 18 tenure-track faculty members based explicitly on race and ethnicity
-
Projects investigating “microaggressions,” “multilevel structural racism,” and “possible genomic associations with gender identity,” one of which received nearly $1 million
According to HHS officials, these programs were deemed ideologically driven, scientifically marginal, and a misuse of taxpayer dollars.
“We are eliminating wasteful spending on fringe academic projects that do nothing to improve Americans’ health or well-being,” an HHS spokesperson said. “The federal government should fund real science—not social engineering.”
Realigning Research with Public Priorities
This shift in funding policy reflects the Trump administration’s growing emphasis on practical, outcome-driven research that directly benefits American citizens.
Rather than pour hundreds of millions into divisive academic experiments, the administration plans to redirect resources into areas like cancer research, veterans’ health, opioid addiction, and mental health programs—issues that directly impact American families.
A Pattern of Reform
This isn’t the first time the administration has taken aim at bloated, ideologically skewed programs. Just recently, Columbia University was forced to overhaul its campus policies to regain $400 million in federal funding after a probe revealed tolerance for antisemitic activism and a lack of political neutrality in Middle East studies.
Now, the federal government is sending a clear message to academia and grant recipients nationwide: If your program is built on activism, not science, the federal gravy train is over.
Universities Push Back
Left-leaning academic institutions have predictably pushed back, claiming the cuts will hinder “scientific progress” and reduce “diversity in research.” But critics argue that DEI-focused hiring and gender ideology studies have hijacked the purpose of public research funding—turning science into a political weapon.
Supporters of the cuts say this is long overdue.
“Taxpayers should not be funding ‘gender identity mouse studies’ or paying universities to discriminate based on skin color,” said one senior official. “We are restoring sanity to federal research.”
The Bottom Line
With this bold move, the Trump administration is once again proving it’s willing to take on entrenched bureaucracies and defund the woke agenda in government institutions.
As HHS slashes these grants, it’s sending a powerful message: science should serve the people—not politics.