Attorney General Ellison secures nationwide preliminary injunction against Trump Administration for defunding medical and public health innovation research

March 5, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) —  Attorney General Keith Ellison and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general have secured a nationwide preliminary injunction in Massachusetts v. NIH. The order prevents the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from cutting billions of dollars in funds that supports cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country regardless of whether their states have joined the lawsuit.

“Today’s ruling is great news for the medical institutions across Minnesota engaged in lifesaving public health research, as well as for the people across America who are counting on that research to help cure diseases and develop new medical treatments,” said Attorney General Ellison. “Our tax dollars help fund NIH and Congress passed legislation directing NIH to support medical research. Donald Trump has absolutely no right to cut off that essential research funding and subvert the will of Congress with the stroke of a pen. The last thing we need is to inject politics into lifesaving medical research.”

The preliminary injunction protects critical funds that facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader, could be compromised. 

On February 10, less than six hours after the coalition filed their lawsuit against the Administration, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut the critical research funding. Today’s order takes the place of the temporary restraining order and prevents the Trump Administration from cutting this important category of funding as the case proceeds. It will remain in effect until a final ruling is made.

The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types and the first sequencing of DNA. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.

This lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan. In addition to Attorney General Keith Ellison, the coalition consists of the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.