US Judge Rules Trump Team Illegally Cut Energy Grants
A federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration acted illegally. It had canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants.
The grants went to projects in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. Judge Amit Mehta said officials admitted this openly.
They made funding decisions based on how states voted. Federal officials cut more than $7.5 billion in clean energy grants.
The cuts happened in October. Officials based the decision only on whether states backed Trump in 2024.
The administration also ended nearly 300 research grants tied to states that voted against Trump. The Energy Department said a review found the projects did not help the nation's energy needs.
A department spokesman said officials disagree with the judge's ruling. The Trump administration called the grant cancellations a misrepresentation in response to the court filings.
Key Terms 3
- federal judge A judge who handles cases involving US national laws.
- clean energy grants Government money given to support renewable energy projects.
- misrepresentation A claim that something was described inaccurately or unfairly.