Federal Judge Rules Trump Administration’s Termination of Humanities Grants Unlawful

A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration’s termination of humanities grants was unlawful and unconstitutional. The grants had been awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to three major scholarly groups: the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Historical Association, and the Modern Language Association of America.

“The terminations violated the First Amendment and the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment, and exceeded statutory authority.” — U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon

Key Details

• The Department of Government and Efficiency (DOGE) terminated thousands of grants in April 2025.
• The scholarly groups filed a lawsuit in May 2025, arguing the executive branch lacked authority to block spending appropriations based on policy preferences.
• U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon ruled the terminations violated the First Amendment and the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment, and exceeded statutory authority.
• The ruling prohibits the administration from enforcing the terminations.

Troubling Findings in the Ruling

DOGE staff did not examine application materials when flagging grants and instead used ChatGPT to generate rationales related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

According to the ruling, DOGE staff were in their 20s and had limited experience, none related to the humanities.

This case underscores ongoing legal battles over executive authority and funding decisions, with implications for academic and cultural institutions nationwide.