Trump has signed an executive order tightening control over the federal grant funding process, requiring political appointees to sign off on each grant. The order directs each agency head to designate a senior appointee to create a process to review grant opportunity announcements and ensure grants are consistent with agency priorities and the national interest. The order aims to strengthen oversight and coordination of agency grantmaking to address problems and ensure greater accountability for the use of public funds. The order cites federal grants given to universities that cover facilities and administrative costs, as well as a federal grant that supported gain-of-function research, which came under scrutiny amid the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. The Trump administration is working to review and eliminate funding that does not align with the president’s “America First” agenda, including clashes with Ivy League universities like Harvard University, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Trump has signed an order granting political appointees the authority to oversee federal grants. Thuy 623
