NIH research grant sparks tension between agency and OMB

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is facing internal tension regarding a research grant awarded to Brittany Charlton, a professor at the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health. The project, which runs from August 2024 to September 2029, involves scholarship on what Charlton defines as “discriminatory LGBT bills,” including legislation that bans transgender surgeries for minors.

According to a former administration official, the continued funding of this project may have strained the relationship between NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. This friction occurred around the time the White House considered an executive order to increase its control over the NIH.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that the grant in question was terminated in 2025 but subsequently reinstated by a court order. The matter is currently the subject of active litigation, and the NIH has declined to comment further on the ongoing legal proceedings.