Trump Administration Admits Canceling Clean Energy Grants Based on Political Identity
6 verified4 unconfirmed3 contested
The Trump administration has acknowledged in court documents that it canceled billions of dollars in federal clean energy grants based solely on the political identity of the recipient states, specifically targeting those that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The admission, contained in a court filing last week, contradicts previous assertions by administration officials that the cancellations were based on programmatic, statutory, or performance-based factors. The terminated grants were part of a broader review of Biden-era energy funding, with the White House budget office announcing the cuts in October 2025. The filing stems from ongoing lawsuits challenging the funding cancellations. The administration continues to insist the decisions were not politically motivated, despite the language in the court filing.
What’s verified
The Trump administration acknowledged in court documents that it terminated grants for clean energy projects based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient's state (i.e., whether the state was a "Blue State" that voted for Kamala Harris).
The terminated grants targeted 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
The total amount of terminated grants is reported as at least $7.5 billion (sources report $7.5 billion or $7.6 billion).
The cancellations were announced in October 2025 by White House Budget Director Russell Vought, who posted on social media about canceling "Green New Scam funding."
Energy Secretary Chris Wright previously testified that no political considerations were made, but the court filing directly contradicts that.
The court filings are part of ongoing lawsuits challenging the funding cuts.
Where accounts differ
The total amount of terminated grants: The Guardian reports "more than $7.5bn" while ABC News reports "$7.6 billion."
The number of grants or projects terminated: The Guardian states 284 grants were canceled, while ABC News says 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated.
The specific lawsuits involved: The Guardian references a lawsuit by six University of California faculty and another case, while ABC News mentions the Thakur v. Trump case and a separate suit by clean energy groups and the city of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Not yet confirmed
The Guardian reports that the Department of Energy left in place hundreds of other energy grants in Republican states despite having recommended those also be scrapped. This is not mentioned by ABC News.
The Guardian reports on a proposed rule from May 29 requiring discretionary awards to advance the president's policy priorities and not promote "anti-American values" or deny the "sex binary." ABC News does not mention this.
ABC News reports on statements from Democratic lawmakers and the Sierra Club criticizing the administration, as well as a claim that the Trump administration pledged nearly $3 billion to cancel offshore wind projects in favor of fossil fuels. These are not in The Guardian.
It is unclear from the sources whether the total number of terminated projects is 284 (as per The Guardian) or 321 (as per ABC), or whether these refer to different categories of awards.
Misconceptions
The court filing directly contradicts the administration's previous assertions that the grant cancellations were based on programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factors. The sources address this misconception by presenting the administration's admission in court.
Key figures
President Donald Trump
Energy Secretary Chris Wright
White House Budget Director Russell Vought
Former Vice President Kamala Harris
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Holly Bender, Sierra Club chief program officer
Sources: The Guardian, abcnews.com
