Trump Administration Faces Backlash Over NIH Funding Cuts

WASHINGTON, DC., May 13, 2025 - A sweeping cut to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding by the Trump administration has triggered legal challenges and nationwide outrage from public health experts and lawmakers. The new policy, introduced earlier this year, caps indirect cost reimbursements for NIH grants at 15%, a dramatic drop from previously negotiated rates often exceeding 60%. These reimbursements typically fund vital infrastructure like lab maintenance, utilities, and administrative support.

The reduction has already prompted hiring freezes, graduate program suspensions, and cancellation of undergraduate research internships at top institutions including Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh. Senator Bernie Sanders called the move “a catastrophic blow to medical research,” and warned it could “reverse decades of public health progress.”

A coalition of 22 state attorneys general has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services, arguing that the administration lacks legal authority to impose such changes without congressional approval. A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation until the case is resolved.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the decision in a Senate hearing, framing it as part of a shift toward preventive care. Yet lawmakers across party lines expressed deep concerns about the cuts’ impact on future research capacity, innovation, and America’s global leadership in science.

*Sources:

*https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/13/health/trump-administration-nih-funding-sanders-report

*https://apnews.com/article/8c99853031507ecb5408b4132329cdea