Trump Administration Acknowledges Cutting Grants to Non-voting States
WHO:
NBC News - The Trump administration is involved in the decision regarding research grants.
WHAT:
CNN - The Energy Department sent to the Office of Management and Budget a list of more than 600 grants it recommended be canceled from recipients in states where Kamala Harris won the vote, resulting in the termination of 284 grants in October 2025.
CNN - The Trump administration's actions are described as part of a broader second-term push to seek retribution against perceived political opponents and to stymie federal funding in Democratic-led states.
CNN - The Department of Homeland Security denied that politics played a role in the decision to leave out several Democratic-led states from receiving more than $5 billion in long-delayed disaster aid.
AP News - The Trump administration acknowledged in court documents that it canceled $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” specifically targeting 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
AP News - The Energy Department announced that 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated, stating they “did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs or were not economically viable.”
AP News - The cuts included projects located in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington state.
AP News - The Trump administration's court filing acknowledged that it terminated nearly 300 cost-cutting energy projects.
AP News - The Energy Department announced that 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated.
AP News - The Trump administration pledged nearly $3 billion to cancel offshore wind projects in favor of fossil fuel projects such as natural gas and coal.
ABC News Business - The Trump administration acknowledged in court documents that it terminated $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” specifically targeting 16 states that voted for Kamala Harris.
NBC News - The Trump administration acknowledged that it canceled research grants.
Drudge Report - The administration admitted to cutting grants specifically in states that did not vote for Trump.
WHERE:
NBC News - The states affected by the grant cancellations are referred to as "blue states," indicating they did not support Trump in the election.
WHY:
CNN - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Trump is "ripping the rug out from under hardworking families so he can get revenge on the Americans who didn’t vote for him."
CNN - Maryland US Rep. Jamie Raskin described the Trump administration’s actions as a “deep betrayal of America,” calling for the immediate restoration of funds to blue states.
AP News - Democrats and environmental groups claimed the administration had “weaponized” the federal government to kill good jobs and punish working families because of their political views.
AP News - Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state stated, “This administration has now admitted in court what has long been obvious: it terminated nearly 300 cost-cutting energy projects for no reason other than the fact that the states they were in did not vote for the president in the 2024 election.”
AP News - Democrats stated that the administration's actions demonstrate a "corrupt abuse of power" and called it "outright un-American."
NY Post - Democrats contend that the Trump administration officials “corruptly abused their power” to terminate grants solely on the basis of the political identity of the states receiving federal money.
Drudge Report - The decision to cancel grants was based on the voting outcomes of the states in the election, targeting those that did not support Trump.
HOW:
AP News - Federal lawyers acknowledged that the selection of grants was influenced by whether a grantee’s address was located in a state that tends to elect Democratic candidates.
NBC News - The method of cancellation involved the administration's direct decision-making regarding the allocation of federal research funds.
(UPDATED July 25, 2026 20:17 UTC)
The Energy Department has recommended canceling over 600 grants, resulting in the termination of 284 grants in October 2025, specifically targeting recipients in states where Kamala Harris won the vote. Critics, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, argue that these actions by Trump are a form of retribution against political opponents, while the Department of Homeland Security denies any political motivations behind withholding more than $5 billion in disaster aid from several Democratic-led states. Maryland US Rep. Jamie Raskin has condemned the administration's actions as a "deep betrayal of America," urging for the immediate restoration of funds to those blue states affected.
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(UPDATED July 25, 2026 19:19 UTC)
The Trump administration has acknowledged in court documents that it canceled $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects, specifically targeting 16 states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The Energy Department stated that 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated because they “did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs or were not economically viable,” with affected states including California, Colorado, and New York, among others. Democrats and environmental groups have criticized this move, claiming it weaponized the federal government to punish working families based on their political views, with Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Sen. Patty Murray asserting that the administration admitted to terminating these projects solely due to the political identity of the states involved.
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(UPDATED July 25, 2026 13:22 UTC)
The Trump administration has acknowledged the termination of nearly 300 cost-cutting energy projects, including 321 funding awards across 223 initiatives, as part of a shift towards fossil fuel projects like natural gas and coal, with nearly $3 billion pledged to cancel offshore wind projects. Democrats have responded strongly, labeling these actions as a "corrupt abuse of power" and calling them "outright un-American." Additionally, federal lawyers have indicated that the selection of grants was influenced by the political leanings of the states where grantees are located.
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(UPDATED July 25, 2026 04:02 UTC)
In a significant legal development, the Trump administration has admitted in court documents that it ended $7.6 billion in grants for numerous clean energy projects. This decision was reportedly made “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state,” specifically affecting 16 states that voted for Kamala Harris. The acknowledgment raises questions about the administration's motivations behind the funding cuts.
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(UPDATED July 25, 2026 01:27 UTC)
Democrats are accusing Trump administration officials of corruptly abusing their power by terminating grants based solely on the political identity of the states receiving federal funds. This allegation raises serious questions about the motivations behind the decisions made during his presidency. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the use of federal resources and political influence.
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(UPDATED July 24, 2026 23:19 UTC)
The Trump administration has acknowledged that it canceled research grants, specifically targeting states that did not vote for Trump, often referred to as "blue states." This decision was made based on the voting outcomes of the election and involved direct decision-making regarding the allocation of federal research funds. As a result, the affected states are facing significant impacts from these grant cancellations.