Once President Trump took over for his second term, and he, along with Elon Musk, introduced DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), there was a lot of controversy surrounding it. And sure enough, this Humanities Grants Elimination Lawsuit has something to do with that because they have now cut the funds that were previously being utilized as humanities grants. If you don’t know anything about it yet, or what the NEH thing is, then just keep on reading. We’re here to share the details of this case and where things stand right now.
What Is NEH and Why Should You Care?
First of all, it will be great to understand what NEH is. NEH is an acronym for the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is an agency in the USA that awards grants to support creative, educational, and historical initiatives. Basically, it is money for museums, libraries, community history programs, schools, documentaries, etc.
Over the years, starting from 1965, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has distributed more than 70,000 grants all over the United States. Not only that, but these funds also help the local communities, which include small towns, rural schools, and community programs. Therefore, it can be said that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) may be an important factor in the lives of many people, although it is not widely recognized.
What Actually Happened in 2025?
Here’s where things took a sharp turn.
In April 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE, yes, that’s a real agency, and yes, that’s its actual name) went off-script with a surprise action. They revoked a number of National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awards, not only those they had just published but also those they had promised. The layoffs impacted projects in the ‘doing’ phase. There were some groups that had not only recruited personnel but also planned activities, assuming the money was theirs. The moment when it was taken away was then exactly their turnaround.
Museums and educational programs, as well as historical initiatives, were among those sectors that suffered significant losses. Nobody expected such a thing to happen.
Who Filed the Lawsuit? (and Why?)
As expected, the organizations that were involved were not happy about this. As a result, in May 2025, a number of large groups filed a lawsuit.
Here are the key players behind the lawsuit:
- Oregon Humanities
- Federation of State Humanities Councils
- American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
- American Historical Association (AHA)
- Modern Language Association (MLA)
These groups weren’t merely angry; they maintained that the event was a violation of the Constitution. Among others, the suit claims that solely the US Congress has the capability to govern the federal expenditure. The President and the rest of the Executive Branch, which also includes DOGE, do not have the power to rescind the money that has already been approved.
What Did the Courts Say?
The courts didn’t stay silent.
Judge Michael H. Simon from Oregon on August 6, 2025, signed a preliminary injunction. To put it in layman’s terms, the court command kept the money from being stopped in their tracks and allowed the lawsuit to continue.
Judge Simon made it very clear that this money withdrawal was illegal. He informed all that it is Congress, not the Commander-in-Chief or some kind of cryptocurrency, that makes the decisions about the funds. Moreover, he mentioned that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has always enjoyed support across the political spectrum, which is a good indication of how important and uncontroversial these initiatives are.
Actually, this was not only one court. On 25 July 2025, in New York, a similar decision was made by Judge Colleen McMahon, who stopped the government from withdrawing the money that had been released.