Health Podcast Library
Episode 457

The Politics of Grant Cuts

Jul 30, 2026
38:16

Episode Description

The revelation in court documents that the Trump administration used politics alone to decide which grants to fund and which to cancel has provoked surprisingly little outcry from Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, Republicans renewed their campaign against Anthony Fauci’s handling of covid. 

Liz Essley Whyte of The Wall Street Journal, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. 

Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.

Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: 

Julie Rovner: The Arkansas Times’ “Postpartum Women Go Without Care as Arkansas Holds Out as Lone State To Deny Them Medicaid,” by Byron Tate.  

Rachel Cohrs Zhang: KFF Health News’ “Trump Administration Demands Hospitals Share Emergency Room Records,” by Amanda Seitz, Maia Rosenfeld, and Darius Tahir.  

Liz Essley Whyte: Stat’s “E-Bikes, E-Scooters Are a Burgeoning Pediatric Public Health Emergency,” by J. Todd R. Lawrence and Madison A. Kesler.  

Shefali Luthra: The Washington Post’s “The Problem With RFK Jr.’s Crusade Against Antidepressants,” by Aaron E. Carroll.  

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