Trump administration admits canceling grants to states that did not vote for him

What This is

• In court filings, the Trump administration acknowledged it canceled federal grants based on political criteria tied to how states voted.
• The filings say the Department of Energy terminated 284 research grants in October 2025 because recipients were in states that voted Democratic in 2024 and had two Democratic senators.
• The filing said $7.5 billion in Biden-era clean energy grants were terminated in October, and the decision was described as based “solely” on politics rather than program rules or performance.
• The Department of Energy’s lawyer said similar grants in Republican-led states were left in place while projects in Democratic-led states were targeted.
• The court filings describe hundreds of grant terminations during last fall’s government shutdown.
• Separately, the White House has proposed a rule to let political appointees approve or cancel over $1 trillion a year in federal grants based on whether projects advance the president’s priorities.
• The proposed grant rule would reduce the role of independent expert reviewers in research funding and could allow cuts mid-project for reasons such as using “diversity” language or conflicting with administration policies.
• The Office of Management and Budget proposal would also add restrictions aimed at DEI programs, international collaboration, and research deemed contrary to presidential priorities.
• The draft regulation has drawn pushback from groups including researchers, universities, local officials, nonprofits, lawmakers, and some law enforcement organizations.
• In health research, the Trump administration directed the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to end at least 67 multiyear grants, and researchers say the cancellations have caused layoffs and halted studies and training.

Why This Matters

• Using federal grants to reward friendly states and punish others raises basic fairness and equal-treatment concerns for taxpayers.
• If political officials can cancel grants midstream, states, universities, and nonprofits may take fewer risks and hire less because funding feels unreliable.
• Reducing independent expert review can steer public money away from evidence-based research and toward what benefits current leaders.
• Abrupt grant cancellations can waste money already spent and delay practical results, such as cleaner energy projects or better health care.