Saralnama
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a split ruling on the Trump administration's cancellation of NIH research grants tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The Court upheld a stay blocking the policy behind the terminations, ruling it arbitrary and capricious, but allowed the termination of individual grants to proceed by deciding funding disputes must be heard in the Court of Federal Claims, not the District Court. The decision involved multiple opinions with differing legal reasoning. Justices Thomas and Alito favored lifting the stay entirely, while Gorsuch and Kavanaugh emphasized jurisdictional issues related to government contracts. Justice Barrett held that challenges to policy belong in District Court, but funding disputes belong in the Court of Federal Claims, leading to the split outcome. The dissent, led by Chief Justice Roberts and joined by three liberal justices, argued that the District Court had jurisdiction over both the policy and grant terminations, warning of severe consequences for scientific research and public health due to funding losses. The ruling leaves the policy blocked but allows grant terminations to continue, with ongoing legal uncertainty and potential long delays before funding could be restored. (Updated 22 Aug 2025, 13:16 IST; source: link)