Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken decisive action to slash nearly $122 million in Department of Health and Human Services grants aimed at LGBT and diversity causes, a sweeping move critics say signals a dramatic shift in federal priorities.
The cuts affect 195 programs that the Trump administration deemed too focused on race and sexual orientation, according to the New York Post.
Kennedy began rolling back the grants in March, working closely with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to eliminate funding from diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
One of the largest grants eliminated was a $5.5 million award from the National Cancer Institute to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The grant was earmarked for the Vanderbilt FIRST initiative, which sought to “recruit at least 18 tenure-track faculty from minoritized racial and ethnic groups.”
Drexel University was another high-profile casualty. The school was slated to receive more than $4.6 million from the National Cancer Institute for a program titled “Catalyzing Systemic Change at Drexel University to Support Diverse Faculty in Health Disparities Research.”
The funds were intended to mentor and support early-stage faculty working on health disparities, per the Daily Mail.
Kennedy also cut a $2.4 million grant to the University