White House Pauses Executive Order to Veto NIH Grants

The White House has backed away from a proposed executive order that would have established a commission with the authority to veto National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants. The directive sought to block federal funding for research that did not align with the political agenda of President Donald Trump, specifically targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and what the administration termed woke spending.

The retreat follows intense bipartisan opposition from Congress. Senators Susan Collins and Patty Murray warned that such a commission would undermine scientific pursuit and congressional intent, with Murray accusing the president of attempting to appoint a panel of lackeys.

Internal tensions peaked during a meeting where Budget Director Russell T. Vought accused NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya of failing to sufficiently eliminate DEI-related funding. While the executive order is currently paused, officials from the Office of Management and Budget and the NIH are seeking a compromise to align research spending with presidential priorities without implementing direct political meddling.