The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is spending millions in grant money to increase racial minority representation in the cancer workforce, a practice now under scrutiny as President Donald Trump targets Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. A watchdog group, Do No Harm, revealed that the NCI currently allocates $218 million annually to these efforts, a policy rooted in the Biden administration’s tenure that Trump and his team are working to dismantle.
At a glance:
- The NCI spends $218 million yearly on grants to boost racial minority hiring in cancer-related fields.
- Under Biden, 3% of NCI’s annual grant funding supported DEI initiatives at various institutions.
- Trump and Republicans aim to cut DEI programs, favoring merit-based approaches instead.
- Do No Harm criticizes the NCI for using taxpayer funds to promote what it calls racial discrimination.
NCI’s DEI Funding Exposed
Do No Harm, a nonprofit focused on removing DEI from medicine, uncovered that the NCI actively disperses $218 million in grants to enhance the presence of “underrepresented” groups—primarily racial minorities, excluding Asian Americans—in the cancer workforce. During Biden’s presidency, this amounted to roughly 3% of the NCI’s yearly grant budget, supporting institutions in hiring more minority faculty and scientists. Notable examples include two grants totaling over $10.5 million awarded to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, aimed at “inclusive excellence” and recruiting 12 scientists from underrepresented groups, alongside updating the institution’s “Roadmap for Inclusive Excellence” to address racism.
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Chairman of Do No Harm, told Fox News Digital, “The National Cancer Institute has been taking advantage of taxpayers to push a DEI agenda on the medical field.” He added, “They dole out $218 million each year for grants prioritizing ‘underrepresented’ in medicine, which has generally been defined as anyone from a racial minority group, except Asian Americans. The National Cancer Institute should not be rewarding racial discrimination with taxpayer money.”
The NCI did not respond to inquiries about terminating these grants or its Equity Council, established in 2021 under Biden to steer equity efforts.
Trump’s Anti-DEI Push Gains Momentum
The Trump administration, alongside Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative, is aggressively targeting DEI-related spending, with Trump directing federal agencies to end such considerations in government contracts. This follows DOGE’s recent cuts, including $350 million from the Department of Education and over $1 billion from 104 DEI contracts last month. Republicans argue that public programs should prioritize meritocracy over diversity quotas, a stance reflected in Trump’s executive order demanding an end to federal DEI initiatives.
The NCI’s website, once laden with DEI-related content under Biden, has seen much of it removed since this order, though active grants persist. As this shift unfolds, the NCI’s $218 million in DEI-focused grants remains a focal point in the broader effort to redirect taxpayer funds away from such programs.
