A major pediatric medical organization has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration from cutting nearly $12 million in federal health grants, warning that the decision could disrupt vital programs serving children and families across the United States.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) filed the complaint in federal court in Washington, arguing that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services abruptly terminated seven long-standing grants in retaliation for the group’s public criticism of administration health policies. The organization says those policies, particularly around childhood vaccinations, pose serious risks to children’s health.
According to the lawsuit, the funding cuts were announced last week and threaten programs focused on rural pediatric care, sudden unexpected infant death prevention, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevention, and universal newborn hearing screenings. The AAP claims that without swift court intervention, these initiatives could shut down within weeks, leading to staff layoffs and loss of access to essential services nationwide.
The legal action asks a federal judge to immediately halt the grant terminations and order that the funding be restored while the case moves forward. The complaint argues that the decision not only harms the academy but also undermines public health by dismantling programs designed to detect, prevent, and manage serious childhood illnesses.
The AAP alleges that its advocacy for evidence-based medicine, including vaccine policy, has made it a target of senior officials within US Department of Health and Human Services. The complaint points to what it describes as public attacks by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accusing officials of attempting to discredit the organization rather than engage with its concerns.
In a statement, the academy said the grants support work that directly saves lives and improves long-term outcomes for children. It warned that ending the funding could have immediate and irreversible consequences, particularly for underserved and rural communities that rely heavily on these programs.
The AAP represents roughly 67,000 members, including pediatricians, subspecialists, and pediatric surgeons. The organization is being represented by Democracy Forward, a legal group that has brought multiple cases challenging actions taken by the Trump administration.
An HHS spokesperson defended the decision, saying the grants were canceled because they no longer aligned with departmental priorities. The agency has not commented further on the allegations of retaliation raised in the lawsuit.
Tensions between the AAP and the administration have been growing for months. Earlier this year, the academy publicly disagreed with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding Covid-19 vaccinations for children. While the CDC suggested a shared decision-making approach for young children, the AAP issued clearer guidance recommending vaccination for all children aged six to 23 months, except in rare medical cases.
More recently, the AAP criticized changes to federal vaccine recommendations that removed the universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns. The academy, along with other medical groups, has also filed a separate lawsuit arguing that recent vaccine policy changes violated federal law governing administrative procedures and advisory committees.
A related hearing in Massachusetts last week focused on whether those claims can proceed. Together, the cases signal an escalating legal battle over public health policy, funding, and the role of medical expertise in government decision-making.
