Federal Judge Rules Mass Termination of NEH Grants Unconstitutional, Restores Funding
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon has ruled that the termination of over 1,400 grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was unconstitutional. The grants, which amounted to more than $100 million, were canceled in April 2025 by NEH officials and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) using AI tools to flag grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The American Council of Learned Societies, along with other associations, sued to reverse the terminations, arguing that the actions violated First Amendment rights and lacked statutory authority. The judge's decision highlights the misuse of AI in grant evaluations and the lack of experience among DOGE staff involved in the process. 
