Trump moves to place NIH grant decisions under White House appointees

Donald Trump directed his budget director, Russ Vought, to prepare an executive order establishing a new board to decide NIH grant allocations. The board would include NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, Vought, and a White House appointee, and would need unanimous agreement for each award. By placing the board under his appointees, the president would gain direct control over how the agency spends its congressionally appropriated budget.

The White House, Office of Management and Budget, and the Health and Human Services Department have not commented. The move comes amid growing backlash against last year's research funding reductions that froze or cancelled grants at many institutions. The administration argues the cuts are needed to fund only solid science and correct past priority errors.