DOE cleanenergy grant lawsuit reveals political cuts
In a federal court filing tied to a doe cleanenergy grant lawsuit, the Trump administration admitted the Energy Department recommended canceling hundreds of clean-energy grants based solely on whether projects were in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. The Office of Management and Budget then terminated 284 grants in October 2025.
Key Takeaways
- DOE lawyers said October terminations rested solely on a state's "political identity," not project performance.
- OMB cut 284 grants after DOE flagged more than 600 awards in Harris-won states with two Democratic senators.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright had repeatedly denied politics played any role in the cuts.
- Democratic appropriators called the admission an abuse of power that punished working families.
The concession, first reported by The New York Times and detailed by CNN, sits at the center of a class-action challenge by University of California researchers seeking to overturn the terminations. Follow related coverage in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub as the case develops.
What did the Department of Energy admit in court?
In a July 15 filing, DOE said it "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."
Lawyers also stated none of those grants were terminated "based on any programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factor," according to a joint statement from Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Sen. Patty Murray citing the court record.
Which grants were canceled and when?
CNN reported that DOE sent OMB a list of more than 600 grants recommended for cancellation from recipients in states where Harris won in 2024 and that have two senators who caucus with Democrats. OMB ultimately terminated 284 grants in October 2025.
House Democrats said OMB Director Russ Vought posted that nearly $8 billion in cost-cutting energy projects were being terminated in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington—announced as the government shutdown began.
How does this clash with Energy Secretary Chris Wright's denials?
Secretary Wright had insisted for months that politics were not involved. In October 2025 he told CNN the decisions were "all based on facts" and denied punishing only blue states. In April and June 2026 congressional testimony, he said reviews of more than 2,200 projects did not factor in location, politics, or voting history.
Kaptur and Murray said Wright's own lawyers now contradict those denials, calling the admission "astounding" and arguing the administration "corruptly abused their power to kill good jobs." They noted several courts have already ruled against the terminations.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the admission "unprecedented Trumpism," while Rep. Jamie Raskin labeled it partisan retribution and urged restoration of the funds. CNN said it sought comment from the White House, DOE, OMB, and the Justice Department.