UC research grants terminated via keywords
Analysis based on 17 articles · First reported Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026
The termination of $2 billion in research grants disrupts university operations and may slow scientific innovation, particularly in health and transportation. The legal uncertainty could affect future federal research funding and university budgets.
Federal agencies admitted in court filings that they used keyword searches related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy, and COVID-19 to terminate over 1,000 research grants at the University of California, totaling nearly $2 billion. The admissions came in the lawsuit Thakur v. Trump, where UC researchers argue the terminations violated the First Amendment and other constitutional provisions. The agencies, including the NIH, DOT, and DOE, acknowledged they did not assess individual grant compliance but applied general criteria. Judge Rita Lin has issued preliminary injunctions restoring some grants. A hearing on summary judgment is set for Oct. 20. Separately, a federal judge in United States — Massachusetts State Police ruled against the Trump administration's ability to terminate grants based on agency priorities.
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