A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to temporarily restore nearly $12 million in federal grant funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics, finding the organization is likely to succeed in its claim that the funding was cut in retaliation for its public advocacy, including positions on vaccines and gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued the preliminary injunction January 11 in Washington, D.C., restoring funding for seven grants while the lawsuit proceeds. The grants were canceled in December under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who oversees the department under the Trump administration.
In her ruling, Howell wrote that the case is not about whether the AAP or HHS holds the stronger position on vaccinations or gender-affirming care for children. Instead, she framed the dispute as a constitutional question about whether the federal government exercised its authority in a way designed to chill public health policy debate by retaliating against a trusted professional medical organization.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has been a vocal supporter of gender-affirming care for transgender youth and has publicly criticized federal actions targeting such care. The funding cuts occurred amid broader HHS efforts affecting trans health care, including announcements that hospitals could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding if they provide gender-affirming care to minors.
Administration officials cited several reasons for terminating the grants, including the AAP’s use of what they described as “identity-based language,” references to racial disparities, and the use of terms such as “pregnant people.” The AAP argued the cuts followed its criticism of changes to federal vaccine policy and constituted retaliation for protected speech.
The terminated grants support public health programs aimed at preventing sudden unexpected infant death, strengthening pediatric care in rural communities, improving early detection of developmental disabilities, and supporting adolescents facing substance use and mental health challenges. AAP leaders warned at the time that the sudden loss of funding would force programs to shut down and disrupt services relied on by families nationwide.
“The sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth, and their families in communities across the United States,” said Mark Del Monte, the AAP’s chief executive and executive vice president.
In granting the injunction, Howell found that the AAP had shown it would likely suffer irreparable harm without the funding and that the public interest favored allowing the programs to continue while the lawsuit moves forward.
The AAP is represented by Democracy Forward, which argued the grant terminations violated the First Amendment. Skye Perryman, the group’s president and CEO, said the ruling blocks the use of federal funding as a tool to punish pediatricians for speaking out in defense of evidence-based care.
The injunction does not resolve the lawsuit, which will continue in federal court. For now, the ruling restores funding to pediatric health programs and places limits on how federal agencies may respond to medical organizations that publicly support care for transgender youth.