DOE admits clean-energy grants were cut based on states' political affiliation
A federal court filing shows the Energy Department recommended canceling hundreds of clean-energy grants in states that voted for Kamala Harris, citing the states' political identity, prompting criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
The U.S. Energy Department disclosed in a July 15 court filing that it recommended the termination of more than 600 clean-energy grants to recipients in states that supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and have Democratic-aligned senators. The Office of Management and Budget subsequently cancelled 284 of those grants in October 2025.
The filing, part of a class-action lawsuit brought by University of California researchers, states the department "accepts that the inclusion of grants in the October notice tranche was based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state, i.e., whether the recipient’s location and/or place of performance was in a Blue State or a non-Blue State."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the admission "unprecedented Trumpism" and warned it should not become normalized. Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin described the action as a "deep betrayal of America" and urged immediate restoration of the funds to the affected states. Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Senator Patty Murray, both members of appropriations committees, said the move represented "corrupt abuse of power" that harms jobs and families.
The case follows earlier reports that the administration sought to withhold federal funding from Democratic-led states, including a proposed freeze of $10 billion for social services and selective disaster-aid allocations by FEMA. The White House, Energy Department, Office of Management and Budget, and Justice Department have not responded to requests for comment.