Trump Admin Admits Canceling $7.5B in Clean Energy Grants Based on 2024 Vote
The Trump administration admitted in court filings that it canceled $7.5 billion in clean energy grants in October 2025 solely based on political criteria, targeting states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. A Department of Energy lawyer confirmed 284 terminated grants were in states with Democratic-caucusing senators, with no programmatic or performance factors used. Similar grants in Republican-led states were left untouched. The admission came in a lawsuit filed by California researchers, contradicting earlier denials by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page itself is projected from evidence records.
- Current automated evidence projection
Cross-source coverage
Wire timeline
Energy Department Admits OMB Canceled Grants Solely to Punish Trump's Political Opponents
The Department of Energy (DOE) has admitted that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) canceled 284 clean energy grants in October 2025 based solely on the political identity of the recipient states, targeting only states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and had two Democratic senators. The admission came in a legal stipulation in Thakur v. Trump, a lawsuit brought by University of California researchers. DOE Principal Deputy General Counsel Jeff Novak confirmed that the OMB's selection was not based on programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factors. The OMB originally bragged about canceling nearly $8 billion in 'Green New Scam' funding. The remaining 340 grants on the DOE's list, which involved states that voted for Trump or had Republican senators, were not terminated. The admission contradicts earlier denials by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Energy Department Admits OMB Canceled Grants Solely to Punish Trump's Political Opponents
The Department of Energy (DOE) has admitted that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) canceled 284 clean energy grants based solely on the political identity of the recipient states, targeting only states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and had two Democratic-caucusing senators. The admission came in a July 15 stipulation in the case Thakur v. Trump, filed by University of California researchers. DOE Principal Deputy General Counsel Jeff Novak confirmed that the OMB's selection was not based on programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factors, and that 340 grants involving Trump-voting states or states with Republican senators were left untouched. The OMB's actions were part of cost-cutting measures under the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency. The admission contradicts Energy Secretary Chris Wright's earlier denial of political motivation.
Energy Department Admits OMB Canceled Grants Solely to Punish Trump's Political Opponents
The Department of Energy (DOE) has admitted that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) canceled 284 clean energy grants in October 2025 based solely on the political identity of the grant recipients' states, not on programmatic or performance factors. In a legal stipulation filed in Thakur v. Trump, DOE Principal Deputy General Counsel Jeff Novak confirmed that all but one of the terminated grants were awarded to projects in states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and had two Democratic-caucusing senators. The admission contradicts Energy Secretary Chris Wright's earlier denial of political motivations. The OMB's list excluded grants in states that voted for Trump or had at least one Republican senator, despite DOE program offices having proposed terminating similarly situated grants across both blue and non-blue states. The case was brought by University of California researchers challenging the mass termination of grants as an illegal usurpation of congressional powers.
Show 4 older updatesHide older updates
Trump administration admits it canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy projects based on political identity of states
The Trump administration has admitted to canceling $7.6 billion in clean energy projects based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient's state, specifically targeting 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The admission was reported by Fortune and the Associated Press on July 25, 2026. The cancellation affects a significant amount of funding for clean energy initiatives, raising concerns about political bias in federal grant distribution. The article highlights the administration's explicit acknowledgment that the decision was politically motivated rather than based on merit or policy considerations.
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants Based on States' 2024 Vote
The Trump administration admitted in court filings that it terminated $7.5 billion in clean energy grants in October 2025 based solely on political criteria, targeting states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. A Department of Energy lawyer confirmed that 284 terminated grants were located in states with Democratic-caucusing senators and that no programmatic, statutory, or performance-based factors were used. Similar grants in Republican-led states were left untouched. The admission came in a lawsuit filed by California researchers. The administration had previously denied political motivations, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright calling such accusations 'bullshit.' The article also notes that the administration has held up other federal funding, including FEMA disaster aid and childcare funding, for non-supporting states.
Trump Administration Admits Defunding States That Didn't Vote for Him
The White House has admitted in court that it deliberately canceled $7.5 billion in clean energy grants to states that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 election. Court documents filed last week and reported by The New York Times reveal that Trump administration officials terminated 284 grants 'based solely' on political criteria, targeting states with Democratic leadership that voted for Kamala Harris. A Department of Energy lawyer conceded the grants were not terminated based on programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factors. Similar grants in Republican-led states that voted for Trump were left untouched, despite the Department of Energy recommending their cancellation. The administration said it came clean to avoid participating in the discovery process for a lawsuit filed by California researchers. The article also notes the administration has held up other federal funding, including FEMA disaster aid and childcare funding, for states that did not support the president.
Trump Administration Admits Defunding States Based on 2024 Election Results
The Trump administration has admitted in court that it deliberately canceled $7.5 billion in clean energy grants to states that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 election. Court documents filed last week and reported by The New York Times reveal that 284 grants were terminated based solely on political criteria, targeting states with Democratic leadership that voted for Kamala Harris. A Department of Energy lawyer conceded the grants were not terminated based on programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factors. Similar grants in Republican-led states were left untouched despite the DOE recommending their cancellation. The administration acknowledged the political motivation to avoid the discovery process in a lawsuit filed by California researchers. The report also notes the administration has held up other federal funding, including FEMA disaster aid and childcare funding, for states that did not support the president.