Judge rules DOGE cancellation of NEH grants unconstitutional

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon ruled on May 7, 2026, that DOGE-directed cancellations of more than 1,400 National Endowment for the Humanities grants were "unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and without legal effect," finding violations of the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment's equal protection clause, and the NEH's statutory authority. Discovery revealed DOGE used ChatGPT to flag grants containing words like "history," "culture," and "identity" as DEI violations. The judge ordered grant termination letters rescinded but did not immediately require payment of funds.