Trump signs memorandum to strengthen rules around political lobbying, federal grant-making

President Trump on Thursday tightened up the rules for political lobbying related to federal grant-making.

Mr. Trump signed a memorandum that directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether federal grant money is illegally supporting lobbying activities, and to take appropriate enforcement action.

The memorandum also orders Ms. Bondi to report to Mr. Trump within 180 days on the progress of her investigation.

The Trump White House said it is aiming to increase accountability in federal spending, including grantmaking, by ensuring that taxpayer funds are not spent on political advocacy or lobbying.

Some taxpayer funds currently are being spent on grants with overtly political implications, the White House said, raising the concern they are supporting political or lobbying activities. This includes:

— The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a grant that adapted an LGBTQ+ teen pregnancy prevention program for “transgender boys.”

— The U.S. National Science Foundation funded a grant on advancing racial justice in elementary mathematics.

Federal law has stringent restrictions over the use of grant funds for lobbying or advocating political candidates or parties.

“Taxpayer funds should be used to benefit the general public, not to support political or lobbying activities,” the White House said. “This prohibition must be enforced to prevent grantees from using taxpayer funds to advocate for more taxpayer funds for themselves.”

When Mr. Trump returned to the White House, his administration focused on waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.

The president also signed a presidential memorandum to ensure funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) advances U.S. interests.

In early August, Mr. Trump signed an executive order that detailed new processes for how he wants “senior appointees” to take charge of awarding or denying new federal grants, and instructed that they regularly review grants that have already been awarded and see if they need to be terminated.