Trump forced to reinstate broadband grants, court lets US scrap race criteria

2 hours ago

Trump administration reinstates a broadband grant program after a court ruling, with applications starting in December.
Court ruled that grants cannot be allocated based on race or ethnicity but can consider income, age, and disability.
The Digital Equity Act of 2021 provided $2.75 billion for three grant programs; Biden began awarding planning grants in 2022.
Trump ended the grant programs in May 2025, claiming the act is racist; the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) sued after losing a $25.7 million grant.
NDIA wins revival of the competitive grant program but must reapply; the state grant program remains discontinued.

The Trump administration canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants based solely on the political identity of states (those voting for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024).
The administration previously claimed cancellations were due to fiscal or energy-needs concerns, but court filings contradict this.
Democrats and environmental groups accuse the administration of weaponizing federal funds against political opponents.

Trump administration officials bypassed normal bidding to fund groups aligned with conservative and anti-immigration causes in Europe and white South African advocates.
Proposed grants include a $5 million no-bid grant to the Free Speech Union and a $40 million grant to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
The shift marks a departure from traditional human rights aid, drawing criticism from lawmakers and experts for politicizing foreign assistance.

Supreme Court decisions impacting broadcasters require immediate consideration.
Declaration of Independence drafting process involved committee work and revisions.
Concerns about AI usability lagging behind rapid evolution halfway through 2026.

GitHub's bug bounty program is introducing a permanent VIP program for researchers who consistently deliver high-quality work, with higher payouts and faster response times.
The public bounty program is being restructured to static payouts per severity level, reducing uncertainty and overhead.
A signal requirement is being implemented on the public program to reduce low-effort and AI-generated reports, allowing initial submissions for newcomers.

The Trump administration used keyword searches (e.g., diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19) to terminate over 1,000 University of California research grants worth nearly $2 billion, rather than reviewing them individually.
UC researchers' lawyers argue this violated the First Amendment by targeting politically disfavored research, the Constitution by punishing researchers based on states' voting patterns, and Congress's spending directives by not redirecting funds as required.
A federal judge has issued preliminary injunctions restoring grants, and the plaintiffs now seek a final ruling; the government may appeal, and stakes include harm to researchers, careers, and global research standing.

The Trump administration canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants based solely on the political identity of states (those voting for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024).
The administration previously claimed cancellations were due to fiscal or energy-needs concerns, but court filings contradict this.
Democrats and environmental groups accuse the administration of weaponizing federal funds against political opponents.

Trump administration officials bypassed normal bidding to fund groups aligned with conservative and anti-immigration causes in Europe and white South African advocates.
Proposed grants include a $5 million no-bid grant to the Free Speech Union and a $40 million grant to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
The shift marks a departure from traditional human rights aid, drawing criticism from lawmakers and experts for politicizing foreign assistance.

Supreme Court decisions impacting broadcasters require immediate consideration.
Declaration of Independence drafting process involved committee work and revisions.
Concerns about AI usability lagging behind rapid evolution halfway through 2026.

GitHub's bug bounty program is introducing a permanent VIP program for researchers who consistently deliver high-quality work, with higher payouts and faster response times.
The public bounty program is being restructured to static payouts per severity level, reducing uncertainty and overhead.
A signal requirement is being implemented on the public program to reduce low-effort and AI-generated reports, allowing initial submissions for newcomers.

The Trump administration used keyword searches (e.g., diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19) to terminate over 1,000 University of California research grants worth nearly $2 billion, rather than reviewing them individually.
UC researchers' lawyers argue this violated the First Amendment by targeting politically disfavored research, the Constitution by punishing researchers based on states' voting patterns, and Congress's spending directives by not redirecting funds as required.
A federal judge has issued preliminary injunctions restoring grants, and the plaintiffs now seek a final ruling; the government may appeal, and stakes include harm to researchers, careers, and global research standing.

Hasty Briefsbeta