The Trump administration has admitted to cutting approximately $7.5 billion in clean energy funding to Democratic-led states, citing political motivations rather than programmatic or cost-based factors.

This admission came during early negotiations in a federal lawsuit filed by University of California researchers, where the Department of Energy acknowledged that the grants were terminated based on the political identity of the recipient states.

The decision affected 284 grants targeting projects in Democratic-led states or those that supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, while 340 grants remained intact in Republican-leaning states or those with at least one Republican senator.

The move sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, who condemned the administration for using political criteria to undermine energy projects and harm communities.

The Trump administration previously claimed the cuts were aimed at eliminating wasteful spending, but court filings revealed the political nature of the decision.

This follows broader allegations of partisan bias in grant approvals, including the cancellation of nearly $2 billion in grants to the University of California linked to diversity and vaccine hesitancy keywords.Critics argue the practice undermines scientific integrity and prioritizes political agendas over public interest.