Trump Administration Cancels Nearly $7.6B in Climate Awards

The Trump administration announced it is canceling roughly $7.56 billion in climate- and clean-energy funding affecting projects in 16 largely Democratic states, including California and New York, with OMB Director Russell Vought saying the cuts target the “Left’s climate agenda.” The Energy Department said it has terminated more than 300 financial awards tied to 223 projects after reviews found the projects did not adequately advance national energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on taxpayer dollars. The move is part of broader administration actions favoring fossil fuels, including opening federal lands to coal mining, directing funds to modernize coal plants, and pausing about $18 billion in New York infrastructure projects. Democrats and other critics called the cancellations politically motivated and possibly illegal, while the administration framed them as fiscal and energy-policy realignment. The Department of Energy said it will provide further details on specific projects and timelines as remaining reviews conclude.