Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Prevents Improper Use of Federal Grants for Political Lobbying

INVESTIGATIONS INTO USE OF FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to increase the integrity of Federal grantmaking by preventing its diversion to political lobbying activities.

• The Memorandum directs the Attorney General to investigate whether Federal grant funds are being illegally used to support lobbying activities and to take appropriate enforcement action.
• The Memorandum further directs the Attorney General to report to the President within 180 days on the progress of her investigation.

SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is enhancing accountability in Federal spending, including grantmaking, by ensuring that taxpayer funds aren’t diverted to support political or lobbying activity.

• Taxpayer funds are being spent on grants with highly political overtones, raising the concern that they are supporting political or lobbying activities.
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a grant that adapted an LGBTQ+ teen pregnancy prevention program for “transgender boys.”
  • The U.S. National Science Foundation funded a grant on advancing racial justice in elementary mathematics. 
• Federal law strictly limits the use of grant funds for lobbying or supporting political candidates or parties for obvious reasons—taxpayer funds should be used to benefit the general public, not to support political or lobbying activities.  This prohibition must be enforced to prevent grantees from using taxpayer funds to advocate for more taxpayer funds for themselves.

PROMOTING EFFICIENCY: From his very first day in office, President Trump has been cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal government.

• President Trump’s Administration has undertaken myriad actions to streamline the Federal government, stop wasteful spending, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
• President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to ensure funding to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) advances U.S. interests.
• President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
• President Trump required cost-effective commercial solutions in Federal contracts.

INVESTIGATIONS INTO USE OF FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to increase the integrity of Federal grantmaking by preventing its diversion to political lobbying activities.

• The Memorandum directs the Attorney General to investigate whether Federal grant funds are being illegally used to support lobbying activities and to take appropriate enforcement action.
• The Memorandum further directs the Attorney General to report to the President within 180 days on the progress of her investigation.

SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is enhancing accountability in Federal spending, including grantmaking, by ensuring that taxpayer funds aren’t diverted to support political or lobbying activity.

• Taxpayer funds are being spent on grants with highly political overtones, raising the concern that they are supporting political or lobbying activities.
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a grant that adapted an LGBTQ+ teen pregnancy prevention program for “transgender boys.”
  • The U.S. National Science Foundation funded a grant on advancing racial justice in elementary mathematics. 
• Federal law strictly limits the use of grant funds for lobbying or supporting political candidates or parties for obvious reasons—taxpayer funds should be used to benefit the general public, not to support political or lobbying activities.  This prohibition must be enforced to prevent grantees from using taxpayer funds to advocate for more taxpayer funds for themselves.

PROMOTING EFFICIENCY: From his very first day in office, President Trump has been cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal government.

• President Trump’s Administration has undertaken myriad actions to streamline the Federal government, stop wasteful spending, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
• President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to ensure funding to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) advances U.S. interests.
• President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
• President Trump required cost-effective commercial solutions in Federal contracts.