Political Grant Cancellations Admitted
Trump Administration Admits Politically Motivated Cancellation of $7.5 Billion in Biden-Era Clean Energy Grants
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Key Points
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The court filings identify a defined “blue-state” targeting list for canceled grants: 284 Biden-era clean energy grants were terminated in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 and have two Democratic-caucusing Senators, covering 16 states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
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New Mexico-specific cancellations included projects at New Mexico Technology and a PNM clean energy initiative; reporting indicated the White House cut over $192 million in New Mexico federal funds for these blue-state projects, with NM Senator Martin Heinrich calling the move “nakedly political, unhinged and unlawful.”
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A contrast highlighted in the filings and reporting: more than 300 projects in states that voted for Donald Trump were not canceled, underscoring a selective targeting pattern rather than universal budget discipline.
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In the court filings, DOE lawyers acknowledged that the termination of the grants occurred “based solely on political criteria,” reversing prior public defenses and aligning with strong language used by critics, including remarks that framed the funding cuts as political maneuvers. The administration had previously defended the cuts as an effort to prevent waste, with some officials referencing “Green New Scam” framing and even invoking the idea of partisan tactics in distributing federal funds.
The Trump administration has admitted in court filings that it canceled more than $7.5 billion in Biden-era clean energy grants based solely on political grounds — targeting states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 The Guardian. About 284 grants were terminated across 16 Democratic-leaning states, with no comparable cuts made to projects in states that voted for Trump.
The admission marks a sharp reversal from the administration's earlier defense of the cuts as efforts to eliminate waste. Critics say it is the clearest evidence yet of partisan weaponization of federal funding ABQ News.
DOE Lawyers Admit Grants Cut on Political Criteria
Department of Energy lawyers acknowledged in court that the grant terminations occurred "based solely on political criteria" The Guardian. The targeted states all share two traits: they voted for Harris in 2024 and have two Democratic-caucusing U.S. Senators. The 16 states include California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Mexico, among others.
More than 300 projects in Trump-voting states were left untouched NM News. That contrast has become central to ongoing litigation, with plaintiffs arguing the cuts were never about budget discipline — they were about partisan targeting.
New Mexico Lost $192 Million in Federal Clean Energy Funds
New Mexico was among the hardest-hit states. The White House cut over $192 million in federal funds tied to New Mexico projects, including initiatives at New Mexico Tech and a PNM clean energy program ABQ News. Both were canceled under the same blue-state targeting criteria.
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich did not hold back. He called the move "nakedly political, unhinged and unlawful" NM News. New Mexico voted for Harris in 2024 and has two Democratic senators — putting it squarely in the administration's defined target group.
Administration Had Previously Defended Cuts as Waste Reduction
Before the court filings, administration officials publicly framed the cancellations as a crackdown on wasteful spending. Some officials used the phrase "Green New Scam" to describe Biden-era clean energy programs The Guardian. The new legal disclosures directly contradict that framing.
The admission is significant beyond this case. Regulators are now weighing whether to expand presidential control over more than $1 trillion in annual federal grants AOL News. Critics warn that formalizing such power could permanently politicize how federal money flows to states.
Broader Fight Over Federal Grant Power Now Looms Large
The court case is part of a wider legal battle over executive control of federal funding. Judges are being asked whether a president can direct billions in grants based on how states voted Yahoo News. No court has ever upheld that kind of partisan condition on federal aid.
Legal experts say the DOE's own admission may make it harder to defend the cuts in court. By confirming that politics — not performance — drove the decisions, the administration has handed opponents a powerful argument The Guardian. The cases are still ongoing.
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