TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy promised to fight the Trump administration to the death, and now he’s making good on that offer. Except, he’s diverting millions of dollars of taxpayer funds into multiple lawsuits against the President’s efforts to reform government, reign in spending, and cut programs that aren’t helping the American people directly.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and a coalition of 21 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over funding cuts to medical and public health research.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, challenges the administration’s decision to slash “indirect cost” reimbursements, which help research institutions cover expenses such as laboratory operations, faculty support, and infrastructure. The attorneys general argue that the move threatens vital medical research across the country.
“The Trump Administration’s attack on public health research funding is a direct attack on our State, which has long led the nation in medical and health innovations that have saved countless lives across our country,” Platkin said in a statement.
On Friday, February 7, the NIH announced it would impose an across-the-board reduction of indirect cost rates to 15%, effective immediately. The coalition argues that this decision violates the Administrative Procedure Act and contradicts congressional directives meant to prevent similar cuts.
According to the lawsuit, the cuts could disrupt clinical trials, force layoffs, and shut down research programs at institutions that rely on federal funding. In New Jersey, affected institutions include Rutgers University, Princeton University, Rowan University, and several others.
The attorneys general are seeking a court order to block the cuts, warning that the reductions could jeopardize research on cancer, infectious diseases, and other critical health issues.