A federal judge in New York on Aug. 5 ordered the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to temporarily hold back 2.5 percent of restored grant money so that lawyers for the winning plaintiffs can later seek their fees.
The case goes back to April 2025, when the Trump administration canceled more than 1,400 grants, adding up to more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds awarded to scholars, writers, research institutions, and other humanities organizations.
The move was part of a cost-cutting drive that tech billionaire Elon Musk was leading at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He left the role in May 2025.
The grantees sued, and on May 7, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that DOGE’s termination of hundreds of humanities grants last year was unconstitutional and involved “blatant” discrimination. She ordered the grants reinstated….
Judge Orders NEH to Hold Back Portion of Restored Grants for Possible Attorney Fees
