Several Planned Parenthood affiliates have notified the Trump administration that they are refusing millions in grants that were recently unfrozen as part of a federal lawsuit, the Daily Caller has learned exclusively.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) were suing Trump’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) over a freeze on $27.5 million worth of Title IX family planning grants to Planned Parenthood. The Trump administration, however, quietly restored the grants, prompting the ACLU and NFPRHA to drop their lawsuit.
In a Jan. 16 letter obtained by the Caller, Planned Parenthood affiliates in the Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, and Kentucky told HHS that they no longer wanted their share of the restored grants. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Planned Parenthood Used Your Tax Dollars To Train Educators That Biological Sex Is A ‘Myth’)
The grants, worth $2.3 million, will be terminated effective Feb. 1, a source familiar with the decision told the Caller.
HHS originally froze the funding due to “possible violations” of a Trump executive order that prohibited federally funded organizations from engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
At the time the grants were restored, the Trump administration made clear that they would be reviewed under new regulations permitting HHS to consider whether these grants were effectuating administration priorities, an administration official told the Caller.
Tom McClusky, a longtime pro-life operative and CatholicVote director of government affairs, previously told the Daily Signal that the administration might have had to release the funds because they didn’t have legal jurisdiction to stop them in the first place.
HHS blocked the funds prior to amending 42 U.S. Code Part 300, which covers family planning grants, the outlet reported.
“They were virtually certain to lose the lawsuit, forcing them to repay the full amount plus interest and cover attorneys’ fees,” McClusky said. (RELATED: Showdown Over Planned Parenthood Funding Lands At Supreme Court Amid Abortion Provider’s Financial Struggles)
“Even worse, continuing the litigation would have entangled any future funding cuts—which are highly likely under the new regulations — in prolonged court battles before an unsympathetic judge,” he added.
🚨 @reaganreese_: “It’s being reported that frozen funds were released to Planned Parenthood in December by HHS. I’m wondering why that happened?”
RFK JR and TRUMP: “I have not heard that.” https://t.co/XyR6NnaeZm pic.twitter.com/Ya8pYP8ZlJ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 14, 2026
President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the Caller they were unaware of the decision to restore the grants to Planned Parenthood.
“I don’t know anything about that,” Trump said, before deferring to Kennedy.
“I haven’t heard that,” Kennedy echoed.
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