Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, along with 15 other attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. This legal action, lodged in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, targets the administration's alleged interference with grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The lawsuit highlights delays and terminations of NIH grant applications.
AG Campbell stated, "Massachusetts is the medical research capital of the country...I won’t allow the Trump Administration to take unlawful actions that play politics with our public health."
UMass President Marty Meehan criticized the potential funding losses, noting that "UMass received $285 million from the National Institutes of Health last year" for crucial medical research activities. Meehan expressed concerns about the impact on the university's competitive position and on students and faculty.
The lawsuit contends that NIH has cancelled meetings essential for grant application reviews, and has withheld decisions on approved applications. It also claims the agency has terminated several ongoing projects linked to topics such as "DEI," "transgender issues," and "vaccine hesitancy," alleging these terminations are politically motivated.
Due to these disruptions, public research institutions are reportedly suffering. UMass, for instance, has halted a study related to Alzheimer's Disease research and has cut its Fall 2025 admissions for doctoral programs.
The coalition of states insists the NIH's actions violate its statutory obligations. They seek a court order to ensure immediate reviews and decisions on grant applications and to stop the termination of current grants.
Previously, on February 10, AG Campbell led a similar legal challenge against the administration over indirect cost reimbursements for NIH grants, resulting in a preliminary injunction.
The coalition includes attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin, alongside Campbell and co-leaders from California, Maryland, and Washington.