Trump Administration Policies Lead to NIH Funding Disruptions and Concerns Over Political Influence in Research Grants
The Trump administration's policies have led to significant disruptions in the funding process at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency with a $47.5 billion budget, over 80% of which is allocated to grants. While Congress has maintained the NIH's budget and existing institutes, the administration's actions have caused delays in grant obligations. In fiscal year 2025, the NIH was approximately 44 days behind its average pace from 2021-2024, and 42 days behind through early July 2026. Jennifer Troyer, a former director at NIH, described a new 'Status 19' that grants would enter, leading to awards being flagged as 'not acceptable' by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Management and Budget, or the White House. These delays have also affected multi-year grants, with renewals often coming 90 or more days late, a rate four to six times higher than in previous years. Furthermore, a new system has flagged grants containing 'disfavored words' such as 'climate change,' 'DEI,' 'ge...
