Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Monday joined with the attorneys general in 21 other states to sue President Donald Trump’s administration for cutting research funding.
The lawsuit is the fourth that Colorado has joined against policies enacted by the Trump administration. The state has also intervened in at least three other cases.
The latest lawsuit focuses on grant funds from the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s main funder of biomedical research. Historically when awarding grants to research, the NIH has funded not just the direct cost of research but also the indirect costs that make the research possible — money needed to maintain facilities or perform administrative tasks.
The Trump administration last week announced that it would cap how much grantees receive in indirect costs. The move would save $4 billion, .
The lawsuit, which , argues that the decision violates federal administrative law as well as Congress’ appropriations authority.
“This illegal action cutting NIH funding — taken abruptly, recklessly, without reflecting on its painful impact, and with no justification for a dramatic change — will harm Colorado universities, undermine important research efforts, and damage our economy,†Weiser, who has announced he is running for governor in 2026, said in a statement. “Government agencies are required to act fairly and reasonably, ensuring that affected parties have notice of potentially dramatic changes and an opportunity to be heard.â€
Here are all the lawsuits and other legal challenges Colorado has joined to the Trump administration.
This list is up-to-date as of Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.
Fight over NIH funding cuts
The lawsuit: As described above, this lawsuit focuses on cuts at the National Institutes of Health to funding for the indirect costs of research. Colorado institutions received a little over $560 million in NIH funding in the last fiscal year, with much of that going to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, with big chunks also going to the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University. Weiser’s office said the proposed funding cuts would eliminate nearly $90 million in funding across the three campuses.
Date filed: Feb. 10, 2025
Other states involved: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin
Latest action: A federal judge blocking the funding cuts from taking effect for now.
Debate over DOGE access
The lawsuit: This case seeks to block the new Department of Government Efficiency — headed by Elon Musk — from accessing the U.S. Treasury Department’s central payment system. The system contains, among other things, personal information about many millions of Americans. The suit contends that giving “special government employees†like Musk access to the system violates federal law and policy. It was filed in New York.
Date filed: Feb. 7, 2025
Other states involved: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin
Latest action: A judge blocking access, though the Trump administration .
Putting heat on the funding freeze
The lawsuit: This suit seeks to block the federal funding freeze that affected of budget government spending. The suit argues that the freeze unconstitutionally usurped Congress’ power of the purse. Colorado U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said the freeze would have impacted . The suit was filed in Rhode Island.
Date filed: Jan. 28, 2025
Other states involved: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia
Latest action: A judge blocked the freeze, and the Trump administration later announced that it had rescinded the order. But the plaintiff states, , argued that federal funds were still being held up. Hickenlooper, fellow Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, and Gov. Jared Polis to White House budget director Russell Vought that “more than $570 million in obligated funding remains inaccessible†to Colorado agencies and organizations. A federal judge in Rhode Island finding that, despite the restraining order, the Trump administration has continued “to improperly freeze federal funds and refused to resume disbursement of appropriated federal funds.â€
Pushing back against birthright citizenship ban
The lawsuit: Shortly after taking office Trump issued an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship — which grants citizenship to children born in the United States. This lawsuit challenges that order, saying it explicitly violates the U.S. Constitution. The case was filed in Massachusetts.
Date filed: Jan. 21, 2025
Other states involved: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin
Latest action: A federal judge in Boston Friday but did not issue an immediate ruling. Three other federal judges across the country blocking the executive order.
Other actions
Weiser’s office before Trump was inaugurated for his second term. In both cases — which involve challenges to regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives — Weiser said he was concerned that the Trump administration, once in power, might abandon the defense of those regulations.In other action, Weiser’s office and the District of Columbia to support a suit seeking a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s proposed buyout program for federal workers. A federal judge granted the restraining order request, issuing one that extends .