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AHRQ cuts staff and grants; two-thirds of 2026 funds reportedly unaccounted

The Washington Sun reports the Trump administration sharply reduced staffing at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and canceled at least 150 grants, while its director told a court almost all 2026 funds have been spent.

Updated Oct 26, 2026 · 10:14 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • The Trump administration cut the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to about 70 staff, roughly 25% of its usual workforce, and canceled at least 150 grants over the summer.[The Washington Sun]
  • Congress gave the agency $215 million for 2026 research grants, but it has told Murray's office it intends to fund just 90 grants this year, versus about 400 typically awarded.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Government Accountability Office ruled this month that HHS violated federal impoundment law, while about two-thirds of 2026 grant dollars remain publicly unaccounted for, a figure disputed by the agency's director.[The Washington Sun]

Key facts

  • The agency is operating with about 70 staffers, about 25% of its usual workforce.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Trump administration abruptly canceled at least 150 grants issued through the office over the summer.[The Washington Sun]
  • Congress gave the agency $215 million for research grants in 2026.[The Washington Sun]
  • The agency has told Murray's office it intends to fund just 90 grants this year, while it typically awards about 400 new or ongoing grants annually.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Government Accountability Office ruled this month that HHS violated the federal impoundment act by withholding 2025 funds without submitting a special message to Congress.[The Washington Sun]
  • Researchers received letters last spring about federal grant applications from a former HHS grant specialist who had been laid off in 2025 as part of mass staffing cuts.[The Washington Sun]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether about two-thirds of 2026 grant dollars are publicly unaccounted for is disputed; the agency's director told a court almost all had been spent.[The Washington Sun]
  • The reporting says top political appointees have not told Congress where redirected grant funds are going, so their allocations remain unclear.[The Washington Sun]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.