A divided US Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the green light on Thursday to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in research grants linked to diversity initiatives.

A federal judge in Massachusetts had blocked the planned cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants in June, saying they amounted to racial discrimination and LGBTQ prejudice.

The Trump administration has targeted nearly $800 million in NIH research funding for elimination as part of its campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

In a 5-4 vote, the conservative-majority Supreme Court allowed the cuts to go ahead while legal challenges continue in lower courts.

Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, sided with the three liberal justices on the top court in the minority.

More from

See Full Page