Trump Administration Slashes $7.6 Billion in Clean Energy Grants, Targeting Harris-Voting States
Trump Administration Slashes $7.6 Billion in Clean Energy Grants, Targeting Harris-Voting States
The Trump administration has announced the cancellation of $7.6 billion in clean energy grants, impacting hundreds of projects across 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the last presidential election. This significant move comes amidst President Donald Trump’s ongoing budget dispute with congressional Democrats, threatening a government shutdown.
The Energy Department confirmed on Thursday that 223 projects were terminated following a review that deemed them either not adequately advancing national energy needs or economically unviable. While specific details on all cuts were not immediately released, the funding originated from various DOE bureaus, including the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
Among the projects expected to be affected are battery plants, hydrogen technology initiatives, electric grid upgrades, and carbon-capture efforts. White House budget director Russell Vought publicly celebrated the cuts, stating on social media that money “to fuel the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled.” The targeted states include California, Colorado, New York, Oregon, and Washington, among others, all of which supported Harris and whose U.S. senators opposed a recent Republican short-term funding bill.
Critics have swiftly condemned the decision. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) accused the administration of treating American families and livelihoods as “pawns in some sort of sick political game” and called the action an “illegal” attempt to punish political opposition, potentially killing jobs and raising energy bills. California Governor Gavin Newsom warned that the state’s hydrogen project alone, which faces a $1.2 billion cut, threatens over 200,000 jobs. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) labeled the cancellation “vindictive, shortsighted and proof this administration is not serious about American energy dominance.”
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, however, maintained that the cancellations are “business decisions” based on taxpayer money usage, denying any link to the shutdown or politics. He indicated that evaluations are ongoing for projects in other states, including those that are Republican-led. Award recipients have a 30-day window to appeal the department’s termination decision.
This latest cut follows a previous $13 billion rescission by the Energy Department last week, targeting clean energy funds authorized by Congress in the 2022 climate law but not yet spent. Environmental organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Clean Air Task Force have slammed the administration, warning of increased energy costs and a weakened U.S. position in global energy technology.
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