The White House has issued a scathing rebuke of The Washington Post, accusing the publication of spreading “fake news” about a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy aimed at reining in excessive administrative costs.
In a strongly worded statement released on February 8, 2025, the Trump administration condemned the Post for what it called a “misleading lie” in a recent article claiming that the administration was slashing billions of dollars in biomedical research funding.
READ: Trump Reminds Dems Throwing Fit Over Education Department That Student Scores Are Abysmal
The dispute centers on a new NIH policy that standardizes indirect cost rates for research grants at 15%. Indirect costs cover administrative overhead, such as facilities and utilities, rather than direct research expenses.
The NIH argues that the federal government has been paying excessively high indirect cost rates—often exceeding 50%—while private foundations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, typically cap these rates at 10-15% or provide no indirect cost funding at all.
In its Saturday article, The Washington Post claimed that the Trump administration was “cutting billions of dollars in biomedical research funding,” a characterization the White House vehemently denies. The administration insists that the policy change is about ensuring more taxpayer dollars go directly to scientific research rather than administrative overhead.
READ :19 State AGs Sue Trump Admin To Block Musk’s DOGE Treasury Department Records Access
The White House accused the Post of deliberately misleading its readers in its statement. “The Washington Post is lying to its readers,” the release stated. “The NIH did not announce any cuts to actual research. Will the Washington Post correct its lie?”
The statement highlighted that the new 15% indirect cost rate aligns with rates commonly offered by private foundations. It also emphasized that the policy is designed to maximize funding for direct research, which the administration believes will strengthen America’s position as a global leader in medical innovation.
The White House pointed to support from prominent figures in the scientific community, including Dr. Vinay Prasad, a Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Prasad praised the NIH’s decision, stating, “Cutting indirects might even mean more science. Less money spent on administration is more money to give out to actual scientists.”
READ: CNN’s Abby Phillip Credits Trump With Presenting Good Optics On Border
The administration also criticized the Post for framing opposition to high indirect costs as a partisan issue. The article suggested that Republicans view administrative costs as “superfluous,” a claim the White House called “shameful and dishonest.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
