President Donald J. Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Attorney General to investigate whether federal grant funds are being used for lobbying or partisan political activity, according to the White House. The directive calls for enforcement where violations are found and requires a progress report to the President within 180 days.
The fact sheet says some taxpayer-funded grants carry “highly political overtones,” citing examples that include a National Institutes of Health grant adapting a teen-pregnancy program for transgender boys and a National Science Foundation grant on advancing racial justice in elementary mathematics. Federal law bars using grant funds to lobby or support political candidates or parties; the administration says the prohibition must be enforced to safeguard taxpayer dollars.
What’s next: The Justice Department is expected to open inquiries across agencies and deliver an initial status report within 180 days.
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