OAKLAND, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday praised a federal court ruling striking down the Trump administration’s decision to terminate National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to public health research institutions in several states, calling the conduct discriminatory and unlawful.
U.S. District Judge William Young ruled that the administration’s termination of grants—and the underlying executive order—violated the Administrative Procedure Act. According to a California Department of Justice press release, the court found that the actions unlawfully targeted research connected to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), transgender health, vaccine hesitancy, and similar topics disfavored by the administration.
Judge Young stated he had “never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable” in his four decades on the bench. The ruling orders the restoration of terminated NIH grants in the plaintiff states.
The decision will allow California universities to resume life-saving biomedical research as the case proceeds. The court will next consider whether the NIH unreasonably delayed processing new grant applications.
“The Trump administration’s illegal attack on NIH grants is an assault on life-saving medical research and the diverse communities who rely on it,” Bonta said. “I’m glad to see the court has recognized the merits of our case.”
Bonta also criticized the directives against DEI efforts as “reckless and discriminatory,” and vowed continued support for public health research.
“The California Department of Justice will continue to fight for our diverse communities and the research institutions that do crucial work to advance our understanding of human disease and potential treatments,” he said.
The lawsuit, filed April 4 by California and a multistate coalition, alleged that the administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the NIH had unlawfully terminated previously awarded grants and failed to distribute other approved funds.
According to the complaint, NIH rescinded funding for entire categories of research based on perceived connections to DEI, transgender issues, and other politically targeted themes. The agency justified its actions by claiming the projects “no longer effectuated agency priorities.”
The coalition filed an amended complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction on April 14. The court has since scheduled the case for a two-part trial, first addressing the legality of terminating existing grants, followed by a review of the alleged delay in processing new applications.
The press release noted that NIH-funded research has contributed significantly to public health over the years, including the development of the rubella vaccine, the discovery of the BRCA gene mutation, and breakthroughs in HIV and AIDS treatment.
“In their unlawful withholding and termination of medical and public health research grants, the Trump administration is upending not only the critical work being done today but also the promise of progress for future generations,” Bonta said in a previous statement issued after the April filing.
He added that the California DOJ is “proudly leading the charge to demand that the Trump administration immediately restore funding to the important work being done in labs, schools, and hospitals across the nation.”
According to the DOJ, the coalition will file a proposed order with the court in the coming days.
