A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration's cancellation of over $100 million in humanities grants was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) lacked authority to terminate the grants and violated the First and Fifth Amendments. The ruling permanently bars the administration from enforcing the cuts.
The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by The Authors Guild, several other groups, and individuals whose grants were canceled. McMahon criticized DOGE's use of artificial intelligence to determine which grants to terminate, calling it a "textbook example of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination." She noted that the grants were targeted based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria rather than merit or compliance.
Government lawyers argued the cuts were legal moves to implement President Trump's directives and reduce discretionary spending. The White House and Department of Justice did not immediately comment on whether an appeal was planned. The ruling was hailed by groups like the American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association, and Modern Language Association, who had sued the government.
McMahon's 143-page decision highlighted that DOGE staff, including individuals in their 20s with limited experience, used ChatGPT to help justify the terminations. The judge emphasized that the public interest favors ensuring federal officials act within constitutional bounds.