Harvard NIH Funding Trails Biden-Era Pace by 18% as Trump Conflict Shifts Tactics
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 21
Harvard NIH Funding Trails Biden-Era Pace by 18% as Trump Conflict Shifts Tactics
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 21
Summary
Harvard’s National Institutes of Health funding is running about 18% below its average Biden-era grant pace, according to a New York Times analysis of government data.
The shortfall has persisted even after a federal judge forced the Trump administration last year to reverse drastic cuts, suggesting pressure has moved from headline freezes to quieter grant delays, reductions and rejections.
NIH actions are often leaving Harvard researchers and administrators unclear about what is happening, making the funding squeeze harder to challenge in court.
The slowdown follows Harvard’s successful lawsuit after the government announced a freeze of more than $2.2 billion in 2025 from multiple federal agencies, and points to a more subtle new phase in Trump’s fight with elite universities.