A US district court judge has allowed the Trump administration to continue with a purge of more than 1,600 research grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This is a huge setback for a coalition of organizations representing thousands of scientists who were hoping to get a preliminary injunction to stop the cuts.
The grants are worth over $1 billion and were meant to fund basic and cutting-edge science and engineering projects, per The Guardian. The National Science Foundation is a big deal in the world of science. It’s a key federal investor in research that has a track record of leading to major breakthroughs like organ transplants, gene technology, and even the internet. However, Trump is really good at scaring away money where it’s needed, so we’ve got to deal with that.
For 75 years, the NSF’s independent review process has been seen as the gold standard, and until Trump’s second term, it had bipartisan support. But now, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been given free rein to completely overhaul the agency to align with what the administration is calling its “changing priorities.” A good example is hiring scientists who only complement Trump, instead of those who are smart.
Trump won’t stop until we stop thinking forward
This is awful for anyone in the scientific community. The Doge has already made widespread and chaotic cuts to NSF staff, programs, and research grants. They’ve been particularly targeting grants that Congress specifically mandated to improve the participation of women, people of color, and people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This congressional push for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) was all about nurturing new talent in marginalized communities to boost American innovation, the economy, and even national defense.
The legal challenge to stop the grant terminations was filed back in June by a group of organizations, including the American Association of Physics Teachers and the United Auto Workers, which represents graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and university faculty. They argued that these sudden and mass terminations were arbitrary and capricious, violating federal law and constitutional rights.
The irony of all this is that few investments match the ROI of scientific research. Every $1 invested yields major returns in jobs, innovation, and better health for our country. Cutting it guarantees economic and health losses we’ll feel for decades. pic.twitter.com/sVVVk0nwzt
— Dr. Catharine Young (@DrCatharineY) August 9, 2025
But on Wednesday evening, the court ruled against the scientists. According to the ruling, “The Court finds that it likely lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ retrospective APA claims … [and] Plaintiffs have failed to show irreparable harm flowing from their prospective APA claims and have not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of their constitutional claims.”
This is a massive blow, but the coalition of scientists isn’t giving up. In a statement, they said they were “deeply disappointed” but “as united and committed as ever to ultimately winning this case”. They believe the administration “acted unlawfully” and is trying to take over congressional authority by eliminating funding required by law. They’re “eager to defend the important role the NSF plays in the daily lives of Americans”.
It’s pretty shocking to see nearly 2,000 taxpayer-funded research grants just abandoned midway through their projects. Of those, only 420 have been reinstated so far. This is the kind of thing that has a real, tangible impact. It’s not just about a few research projects; it’s about the future of science and innovation in the country.
