The short answer: No, federal cancer research funding was not cancelled, but it did change
During Donald Trump's presidency (2017–2021), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — the federal agency that funds most cancer research in the United States — continued to operate and distribute research grants. The NIH budget did not increase as much as some researchers wanted, and certain programs shifted focus, but cancer research funding was not halted or eliminated.
What actually happened is more specific: the NIH budget grew in some years and stayed flat in others, research priorities shifted toward certain areas, and some researchers felt the pace of funding growth slowed compared to previous years. Understanding what changed and what stayed the same matters if you're trying to figure out whether a particular research project got funded, or whether cancer research in general moved forward during that period.
Key Takeaways
- The NIH continued funding cancer research throughout Trump's presidency, though budget growth varied year to year.
- The NIH budget increased in 2018 and 2019 but remained relatively flat in other years, which affected how many new research projects could be funded.
- Some research areas received more focus than others depending on administration priorities and congressional decisions.
- Cancer research funding comes from multiple sources — the NIH, the National Cancer Institute, private foundations, and pharmaceutical companies — so a change at the federal level does not stop all research.
How the NIH budget actually changed from 2017 to 2021
The NIH budget is set by Congress, not by the president alone, so funding levels depend on both the administration's request and what Congress votes to approve. During Trump's first term, the NIH received the following:
| Fiscal Year | NIH Total Budget | Change from Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $34.1 billion | Flat (no increase) |
| 2018 | $35.8 billion | +5% increase |
| 2019 | $37.3 billion | +4% increase |
| 2020 | $41.7 billion | +11% increase (COVID-19 funding included) |
| 2021 | $44.6 billion | +7% increase (COVID-19 funding included) |
The National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is the division of the NIH that funds cancer research specifically, received a portion of this overall budget. In years when the total NIH budget grew, the NCI typically grew as well, though not always at the same rate. The 2020 and 2021 increases included significant funding for COVID-19 research and response, which meant some resources went to pandemic work rather than cancer research alone.
What changed about which research got funded
A flat or slow-growing budget does not mean research stopped — it means fewer new projects could be funded, and researchers had to compete harder for the same amount of money. When the NIH budget is not growing, the success rate for new grant applications drops because the pool of money stays the same but the number of researchers applying stays high or increases.
During Trump's presidency, some research areas received more emphasis than others. The administration prioritized certain health challenges and pushed the NIH to focus on specific goals, such as reducing opioid addiction and supporting precision medicine. This did not cancel cancer research, but it meant that cancer researchers were competing for funding alongside researchers in other fields that the administration had highlighted as priorities.
Additionally, the Trump administration proposed cuts to some NIH programs in its budget requests to Congress, though Congress did not always approve those cuts. For example, the administration proposed eliminating or reducing funding for certain research centers and training programs, but many of these survived because Congress voted to keep them.
Why cancer research did not stop even if federal funding slowed
Cancer research in the United States is funded by more than just the federal government. Private foundations, pharmaceutical companies, universities, and state governments all contribute to cancer research. The American Cancer Society, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and hundreds of other organizations fund research independently of federal budget decisions.
Many cancer researchers also receive funding from multiple sources at once — a grant from the NIH, a grant from a private foundation, and funding from their university or hospital. If federal funding becomes harder to get, researchers often shift to other sources rather than stopping work entirely. This means that even when the NIH budget is tight, cancer research continues, though the pace and scope may change.
What researchers said about funding during this period
Cancer researchers and medical organizations expressed concern during Trump's presidency about the pace of NIH funding growth. The American Association for Cancer Research and other groups pointed out that when the NIH budget does not keep up with inflation, the real purchasing power of research dollars actually decreases — meaning researchers can fund fewer projects or hire fewer staff even if the dollar amount looks the same.
Some researchers also worried about proposed cuts to specific programs and about changes in how the NIH prioritized research areas. However, these concerns were about the direction and pace of funding, not about cancer research being cancelled or eliminated. The research continued, and new cancer treatments and discoveries were published throughout this period.
How to learn about a specific research project was funded
If you want to know whether a particular cancer research study received federal funding during a specific year, you can search the NIH's RePORTER database at reporter.nih.gov. This public database lists every grant the NIH has awarded, including the researcher's name, the institution, the project title, the amount of funding, and the year. You can search by researcher name, institution, or cancer type.
You can also contact the National Cancer Institute directly at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or through their website at cancer.gov if you have questions about a specific research program or want to know the current status of funding for a particular type of cancer research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Trump defund the National Cancer Institute?
No. The National Cancer Institute continued to receive funding throughout Trump's presidency. The total amount of funding varied year to year, but the NCI was not defunded or eliminated. Some years saw increases, and some years saw the budget remain relatively flat.
Were any cancer research programs actually cancelled?
Some specific programs and research centers faced proposed cuts in the administration's budget requests, but Congress did not approve all of those cuts. A few smaller programs were reduced or eliminated, but major cancer research initiatives continued. The most significant change was the slower pace of budget growth rather than outright cancellations.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect cancer research funding?
In 2020 and 2021, the NIH received large increases in funding, but much of that money went to COVID-19 research and response. This meant some resources that might have gone to cancer research went to pandemic work instead. However, cancer research funding also increased in absolute dollars during these years.
Can I find out how much money went to cancer research in a specific year?
Yes. The NIH's RePORTER database shows every grant awarded, and you can filter by year, institution, and research area. The National Cancer Institute also publishes annual reports on funding trends. Both resources are free and open to the public.
What is the difference between the NIH budget and the National Cancer Institute budget?
The NIH is the overall federal agency that funds biomedical research. The National Cancer Institute is one division within the NIH that focuses specifically on cancer. The NCI receives a portion of the total NIH budget, and that portion can change depending on congressional priorities and the overall NIH budget size.