DOJ Halts $811M in Grants Linked to Trump Priorities, Sparks Backlash

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently terminated over $811 million in grants, including funding aligned with President Donald Trump’s law enforcement and victim support initiatives. The cuts were reportedly orchestrated by Tarak Makecha, a former Tesla employee working with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Makecha compiled a list of 365 grants without consulting key DOJ program managers, according to sources and documents reviewed by Reuters.

Grant program leaders were not initially informed of the cuts, learning of them only after grantees received termination letters. A White House official stated that DOJ leadership approved Makecha’s actions, though DOJ declined to comment. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the move, claiming the terminated programs didn’t meet administration priorities like public safety and victim support. However, some defunded programs directly addressed those priorities, including crisis hotlines and shelters for domestic abuse survivors. After public outcry, at least seven grants were restored.

One major cut included an $8.3 million grant to the National Policing Institute, supporting rural law enforcement efforts like child abuse investigations and violent crime units. Other affected areas include Rice County, Kansas, where funding helped interview child sex abuse victims, and Union County, Oregon, which lost support for a homicide investigator tackling fentanyl overdose deaths.

A controversial $2 million grant was also cut—initially labeled as “wasteful”—which trained prosecutors to investigate child abuse in detention centers. The DOJ has since faced backlash, with staff overwhelmed by calls from affected organizations. A DOJ grant application now disqualifies jurisdictions that mandate school COVID-19 vaccines or promote gender policies. Critics say the process lacked transparency and undermines public safety programs.