Here’s what was learned.
A new court filing has revealed that the Trump administration ultimately canceled hundreds of Biden-era clean energy grants, with the vast majority of the affected projects located in states that backed former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
The disclosure has added a new twist to the legal fight over the administration’s effort to roll back billions of dollars in federal spending on clean energy initiatives approved under President Joe Biden.
According to court documents, the Department of Energy originally identified 624 clean energy grants for possible cancellation. After a review by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), that list was significantly reduced, leaving many projects in Republican-leaning states untouched.
The filing states that 284 grants were ultimately terminated, while roughly 340 grants remained in place.
Jeff Novak, principal deputy general counsel for the Department of Energy, explained that—with one exception—the canceled grants involved projects located in states that awarded their electoral votes to Kamala Harris in 2024 and were represented by two senators who caucus with Democrats.
By contrast, the grants that remained active generally involved projects located in states won by President Donald Trump or states represented by at least one Republican-caucusing senator.
The filing has fueled renewed debate over how the administration determined which taxpayer-funded projects would continue receiving federal support.
Last October, OMB Director Russ Vought announced the funding reductions on social media, describing the targeted programs as part of what he called the “Green New Scam.”
Vought said the administration was canceling nearly $8 billion in spending tied to clean energy initiatives that officials argued advanced the previous administration’s climate agenda rather than serving taxpayers’ best interests.
The affected states included California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Supporters of the funding cuts argue the administration is fulfilling campaign promises to reduce government spending, eliminate waste, and redirect taxpayer dollars away from programs they believe produced little return on investment.
Democrats, however, argue the newly released court filing shows politics influenced the administration’s decisions.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio issued a joint statement claiming the filing demonstrates that the grants were canceled because of the political makeup of the states where the projects were located rather than the merits of the individual programs.
The lawmakers also argued the filing conflicts with previous testimony from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who had told Congress that political considerations were not part of the review process.
The Department of Energy rejected that criticism.
A department spokesperson told The New York Times there was “no contradiction” between Secretary Wright’s congressional testimony and the information presented in the court filing.
The legal battle over the canceled grants is expected to continue as multiple lawsuits move through the federal court system. Several courts have already issued rulings affecting portions of the administration’s actions, while additional cases remain pending.
The dispute highlights a broader debate over the role of the federal government in funding clean energy projects, the future of Biden-era climate initiatives, and how taxpayer dollars should be allocated. For supporters of the Trump administration, the grant cancellations represent an effort to rein in federal spending and reverse policies they view as costly and politically driven. Critics argue the funding decisions unfairly singled out states based on election results, ensuring the controversy is likely to remain in the spotlight as the legal challenges continue.
