Story perspectives

Trump Rejects Project 2025, Drops Grant-Rescission Plan

By Drooid · Oct 1, 2026, 6:31 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Project 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 20, 2024.
Heritage Foundation drafted Project 2025 as an executive-order playbook and staffing list for Trump.
Vought urged Trump to cancel NIH grants to universities opposing MAGA, targeting Harvard.
Opposition forced Trump and Vought to drop the grant-rescission plan, possibly reviving after midterms.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) blocked a $810 million rescission for immigrants, refugees, civil rights, climate change and children.

History

Historical Context

In August 2001 President George W. Bush ordered federal funds limited to existing embryonic stem-cell lines, ending new NIH grants for fresh lines. The 2005 NIH budget allocated $607 million to stem-cell research, including $39 million for embryonic work. In July 2024 Donald Trump and Heritage adviser Stephen Vought urged rescinding comparable NIH grants to Harvard, reviving the long-standing partisan dispute.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Project 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 20, 2024.
Heritage Foundation drafted Project 2025 as an executive-order playbook and staffing list for Trump.
Vought urged Trump to cancel NIH grants to universities opposing MAGA, targeting Harvard.
Opposition forced Trump and Vought to drop the grant-rescission plan, possibly reviving after midterms.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) blocked a $810 million rescission for immigrants, refugees, civil rights, climate change and children.

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