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BumRushDaShow

(160,061 posts)
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 06:59 PM Thursday

Judge allows Trump to cut more than $1bn in National Science Foundation grants

Source: The Guardian

Thu 11 Sep 2025 12.36 EDT
Last modified on Thu 11 Sep 2025 13.37 EDT


The Trump administration can go ahead and purge more than 1,600 research grants issued by National Science Foundation (NSF) worth more than $1bn, after a judge declined to grant a preliminary injunction in a case brought by a coalition of organizations representing thousands of scientists.

The NSF is the premier federal investor in basic and cutting-edge science and engineering, which until Trump’s second term enjoyed bipartisan support, with the agency’s independent review process revered globally as the gold standard. Shortly after the president’s inauguration, the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) led by the billionaire Trump donor Elon Musk was given free rein to overhaul the NSF to comply with what the administration said were its “changing priorities”.

Doge inflicted widespread and chaotic cuts to NSF staff, programs and research grants – particularly targeting grants that complied with congressional mandates to improve participation by women, people of color and people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).

The congressional push to improve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science and engineering was designed to nurture and attract untapped talent in marginalized communities, in order to boost American innovation, the economy and national defense.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/trump-national-science-foundation-grants-ruling



Link to RULING (PDF) - https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/045111622980.pdf

RELATED - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143482729
40 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Judge allows Trump to cut more than $1bn in National Science Foundation grants (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Thursday OP
So much for the courts orangecrush Thursday #1
I imagine Trump and Republicans are very proud of this disaster! riversedge Thursday #2
The Stated Reason Is Vacuous ProfessorGAC Thursday #3
Yeah that seems pretty suss AZJonnie Thursday #6
Did you read the opinion? onenote Thursday #21
No. ProfessorGAC Friday #35
This message was self-deleted by its author onenote Friday #36
The article was accurate and not "horribly misleading" onenote Friday #37
Wrong ProfessorGAC Friday #38
This message was self-deleted by its author onenote Friday #39
Wow. You're so convincing. Not onenote Friday #40
Do judges hate Americans or is Trump giving them a cut of the crime profits? Irish_Dem Thursday #4
Good question. And what really sucks is that this was a Biden appointee AZJonnie Thursday #7
Maybe some of them are on the Epstein list. Irish_Dem Thursday #8
I think you're well-versed on my general opinion re: this topic by now AZJonnie Thursday #9
We simply do not know how far and wide the Putin/Trump tentacles reach. Irish_Dem Thursday #15
Lets just say I'm a lot more inclined to believe in the corrupting power of the TrumPutin tentacles AZJonnie Thursday #19
Honey there are all the exact same tentacles. Irish_Dem Friday #28
Or maybe she just happens to think it's in his constitutional boundaries to do so, even if she happens to disagree Polybius Thursday #14
Funny how the constitutional boundaries are mostly in the Trump Crime Syndicate's favor. Irish_Dem Thursday #17
what about "no backsies" ??? nt orleans Thursday #18
Do you know if there is any further news on the administrative fee cap (from your related article)? AZJonnie Thursday #5
When I was looking for any threads associated with the OP's case (which I couldn't find - it was filed in D.C.) BumRushDaShow Thursday #11
Fair enough. But if the regime wins on the 15% cap case as well, I think we'd be looking at a HUGE hit to funding AZJonnie Thursday #13
Whoops! They forgot to name the District Court Judge ... Jia M. Cobb FakeNoose Thursday #10
The grant money needs more time to process through Trump's accounts. miyazaki Thursday #12
great! now this whole damn country can be as STUPID AS THAT FUCKING JUDGE! nt orleans Thursday #16
Not sure I'd call this particular judge stupid AZJonnie Thursday #20
My guess is that most if not all of the posts slagging this judge haven't read the decision. onenote Thursday #22
Less Money For Science, More Money For Clarence Thomas DrFunkenstein Thursday #23
So much for breach of contract iemanja Thursday #24
Yes, but you have to go to the right court. onenote Friday #31
Antiscience goons at play kyburbonkid Friday #25
"Did you read the opinion?" J_William_Ryan Friday #26
Yeap. Bout half. kyburbonkid Friday #27
How far do I have to dig Conjuay Friday #29
FakeNoose posted upthread BumRushDaShow Friday #32
Make cancer great again. Vinca Friday #30
Read one note's... GiqueCee Friday #33
Project 2025 dumbing down America for the fat orange imbecile wolfie001 Friday #34

ProfessorGAC

(74,417 posts)
3. The Stated Reason Is Vacuous
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 07:04 PM
Thursday

How could loss of a billion dollars in grants not cause irreparable harm to these projects?
There may be some legal arcana involved but that was the stated reason.

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
6. Yeah that seems pretty suss
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 07:40 PM
Thursday

I don't think this is the 'final answer' on the topic though fortunately. I think the context is that plaintiffs would not be irreparably harmed without injunctive relief at this moment. Which I disagree with based on my limited understanding re: how such things work, but of course INAL.

Hopefully one of our many real-life lawyers on DU will soon come round and fill us in on the deets

onenote

(45,636 posts)
21. Did you read the opinion?
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 09:53 PM
Thursday

The court ruled that it was bound by precedent to find that it lacked jurisdiction over the suit to the extent it sought monetary relief relating to past grants -- such cases are contractual in nature and must be considered by the Federal Court of Claims, not the District Court. The irreparable harm analysis did not have anything to do with the billion dollars in grants that were retrospectively voided.

ProfessorGAC

(74,417 posts)
35. No.
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 02:16 PM
Friday

I read the article. I don't really care about the details.
If it was really that, then the article was horribly misleading because the stated reason (for the second time) is vacuous.
If the judges used thar reason, they are idiots. If they didn't but it was reported as it was, the author is an idiot.
I shouldn't have to review an entire judicial decision to avoid being misinformed.
Did you bother to write the author to tell them the mistated the reasons?
I didn't think so.

Response to ProfessorGAC (Reply #35)

onenote

(45,636 posts)
37. The article was accurate and not "horribly misleading"
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 03:13 PM
Friday

As I noted the decision distinguishes between two sets of claims brought by the plaintiffs. The first claim challenged the decision to purge a billion dollars in previously authorized grants. That claim was dismissed not because the loss of those previous grants was not irreparable harm. It was dismissed because consistent with established precedent, the district court lacks jurisdiction to hear that claim, which should have been filed with the federal court of claims. So the district court never opined on the irreparable harm issue as it relates to the prior grants.

The second claim asserted by the plaintiffs challenged the revision of the procedures and standards to be applied in assessing future grants. That prospective claim was properly presented to the district court. But, not surprisingly, the court couldn’t find irreparable harm since the procedures apply to grants that haven’t yet been sought and that may or may not be denied.

The article made this distinction clear—quoting the opinion as follows: “The Court finds that it likely lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ retrospective APA claims … [and] Plaintiffs have failed to show irreparable harm flowing from their prospective APA claims and have not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of their constitutional claims,”

So you’re right I didn’t write to the author since the article wasn’t misleading

ProfessorGAC

(74,417 posts)
38. Wrong
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 03:40 PM
Friday

You've been wrong before. You'll get over it.
And this conversation long ago became boring.

Response to ProfessorGAC (Reply #38)

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
9. I think you're well-versed on my general opinion re: this topic by now
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 07:51 PM
Thursday

We don't need to rehash

I don't think this female Biden appointee would be one, but sure, maybe some!

Irish_Dem

(74,729 posts)
15. We simply do not know how far and wide the Putin/Trump tentacles reach.
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 08:37 PM
Thursday

Women have husbands, sons, brothers.

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
19. Lets just say I'm a lot more inclined to believe in the corrupting power of the TrumPutin tentacles
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 09:08 PM
Thursday

Than I am to believe in dead pedo scumbag tentacles, and leave it at that

Polybius

(20,848 posts)
14. Or maybe she just happens to think it's in his constitutional boundaries to do so, even if she happens to disagree
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 08:29 PM
Thursday

That would make her an excellent judge.

Irish_Dem

(74,729 posts)
17. Funny how the constitutional boundaries are mostly in the Trump Crime Syndicate's favor.
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 08:38 PM
Thursday

And against WE THE PEOPLE.

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
5. Do you know if there is any further news on the administrative fee cap (from your related article)?
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 07:32 PM
Thursday

Like, is that still held up by the courts, or did the regime manage to get their way on that one in the interim? I'm wondering if this is actually a 'double-whammy', grants cuts + admin fee cuts?

Disappointed to see that the judge in this case is a Biden appointee (Jia M. Cobb).

I bet both Xi and Putin are pleased as punch the the US is forfeiting it's scientific leadership under IQ47

BumRushDaShow

(160,061 posts)
11. When I was looking for any threads associated with the OP's case (which I couldn't find - it was filed in D.C.)
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 07:58 PM
Thursday

I saw threads for the "related" one that was filed in Boston and I haven't seen any updates to that since June. That "related" one was filed a month before the OP's case. So I'm guessing the stay is still in place for that "related" one.

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
13. Fair enough. But if the regime wins on the 15% cap case as well, I think we'd be looking at a HUGE hit to funding
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 08:10 PM
Thursday

Because the 15% cap will probably cause a lot of grantees to just go "welp, we simply cannot do this science if the cap is that low, we'll lose too much money". I suspect it would have a big ripple effect that exceeds the actual $ amount difference between 15% and the previous allotments, which I've read have been up to 50% in the past.

From what I've read, "administrative costs" in this context does not just mean "paying the pencil pushers and bureaucrats", it includes like buying equipment needed to do the science, paying the labs power bill, all sorts of stuff.

Are we great again yet?

miyazaki

(2,532 posts)
12. The grant money needs more time to process through Trump's accounts.
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 08:05 PM
Thursday

An indefinite amount of time.

AZJonnie

(1,476 posts)
20. Not sure I'd call this particular judge stupid
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 09:14 PM
Thursday
Jia M. Cobb is a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia. She was born in 1980 in Springfield, Ohio. Cobb graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University in 2002 and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2005, where she was coordinating editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Her early legal career included clerking for Judge Diane Wood on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She then worked as a trial attorney with the District of Columbia Public Defender Service from 2006 to 2012, later joining the civil rights law firm Relman Colfax, where she became a partner. Cobb also taught law at both the Washington College of Law and Harvard Law School.

President Joe Biden nominated her to the federal bench in June 2021, and she was confirmed by the Senate in October 2021, succeeding Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. She assumed her commission in November 2021. Cobb is recognized for her extensive background in both criminal defense and civil rights law.


I suspect it's probably a legally sound opinion, even if we don't like it

It is also thankfully (I think) not the final word on the subject, she simply declined to issue an immediate injunction, if I understand how these things work at all (which I might not )

onenote

(45,636 posts)
22. My guess is that most if not all of the posts slagging this judge haven't read the decision.
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 09:55 PM
Thursday

I'm curious as to how you would respond to the court's legal reasoning, since you think the judge was "stupid."

DrFunkenstein

(8,832 posts)
23. Less Money For Science, More Money For Clarence Thomas
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 10:17 PM
Thursday

It all balances out on the scales of justice.

iemanja

(56,683 posts)
24. So much for breach of contract
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 10:30 PM
Thursday

If I tried to get out of a contact, the court would make me pay.

onenote

(45,636 posts)
31. Yes, but you have to go to the right court.
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 07:44 AM
Friday

And as a contract based claim, the plaintiffs need to bring their lawsuit to the Federal Court of Claims.

kyburbonkid

(263 posts)
25. Antiscience goons at play
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 01:58 AM
Friday

Let's parse this: “preference some groups at the expense of others” and would no longer support “[r]esearch
projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or
characteristics.” OK, so subgroup based on protected class, basically DEI shit. So in "STUPID AMERICA", which this administration obviously wants, the Merits don't matter? Yep. That is the rule. Oh, and if it's a race
"out of bounds" to the incoherent color-mindedness of this admin, no funding for you! I would hate to be the professor telling his just-married Grad student (from the newly tariffed country X) with his first child (US BORN), "I'm sorry we didn't get the funding that was supposed to be funded". This shit is just wrong, man.

J_William_Ryan

(2,999 posts)
26. "Did you read the opinion?"
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 02:36 AM
Friday

Yes, and that’s not the point.

The point is that any president would be so reckless and irresponsible to do such a thing.

kyburbonkid

(263 posts)
27. Yeap. Bout half.
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 03:18 AM
Friday

Yes sir, about half. And with the trog we have as president (and republican party) so destructive to our Union, that even simple science funding is under pressure. But yes; "Other statutory provisions also require the Foundation to support underrepresented groups in STEM fields" ... that says it all IMHO.

Conjuay

(2,668 posts)
29. How far do I have to dig
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 06:54 AM
Friday

Before I find the Judges name?

They're real quick to publish the names of those who oppose their bullshit, Who is this judge?

GiqueCee

(2,823 posts)
33. Read one note's...
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:02 AM
Friday

... very concise explanation of the legal premise for the decision. As unspeakably despicable as Trump's actions regarding scientific research – and everything else that evil sonofabitch does – it appears that the fault lies not with the judge, but with the plaintiff's lawyers, who should have known better than to bring the case before a judge who has no legal jurisdiction in a case of this sort.

wolfie001

(6,119 posts)
34. Project 2025 dumbing down America for the fat orange imbecile
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:57 AM
Friday

Let's shovel any extra cash into the arms of the billionaire class. Great idea stupid mf'ers.

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