In a controversial ruling cheered by the far-left, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from cutting taxpayer funding for research tied to gender ideology and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, sided with progressive legal activists in a decision that forces the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reinstate federal grants that the Trump administration had previously canceled for promoting divisive, ideologically-driven agendas.

The lawsuit stemmed from the administration’s February decision to pull funding from several National Institutes of Health (NIH) programs that focused on so-called “gender identity,” LGBTQ research, and DEI initiatives—policies President Trump has consistently rejected as unscientific and politically weaponized.

“The ideologically motivated directives to terminate grants… have now been ruled unlawful,” said Peter G. Lurie of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, one of several plaintiffs that include the ACLU and Ibis Reproductive Health.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the left-leaning American Public Health Association (APHA), even claimed the funding cuts were ‘discrimination.’

“I think that’s pure and simple,” he told The Hill. “The administration was trying to undermine the health and well-being of these populations.”

But the Trump administration is not backing down. HHS made clear it intends to appeal the ruling and defend its decision to put science and public interest over ideology.

“HHS stands by its decision to end funding for research that prioritized ideological agendas over scientific rigor,” said agency spokesman Andrew Nixon.

“Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy and the Trump administration, HHS is committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars support programs rooted in evidence-based practices… not driven by divisive DEI mandates or gender ideology.”

The court’s decision is just the latest skirmish in the broader war over DEI, as the Trump administration continues its push to root out identity politics from government.

In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi dismissed multiple federal lawsuits launched by the Biden DOJ against fire and police departments that prioritized merit-based hiring over racial quotas.

The prior administration—led by Biden’s Justice Department—had targeted local first responders simply for using basic skills tests in hiring. Despite no evidence of racism, the DOJ sued over “statistical disparities” and attempted to force cities into race-based payouts for unqualified applicants.

“Despite no evidence of intentional discrimination—only statistical disparities—the prior administration branded the aptitude tests at issue… as discriminatory to advance a DEI agenda,” the DOJ said in an April release.

President Trump has repeatedly denounced DEI mandates as corrosive to merit, fairness, and national unity, signing executive orders to dismantle such programs inside federal agencies.

“American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas,” Bondi said.

While the Biden-aligned Left celebrates the court ruling as a win, critics say the decision proves just how embedded ideological activism remains in parts of the federal judiciary—even among some Reagan-era appointees. But the administration is expected to escalate the legal battle, signaling that the war against woke policies is far from over.