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3w ago

Judge Rules DOE’s Blue-State Grant Cancellations Unconstitutional, Orders Seven Awards Restored

The limited order restores seven awards, signaling constitutional limits on politically targeted funding.

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FILE - Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought speaks to reporters at the White House, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
President Donald Trump listens as acting director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought speaks during an event on "transparency in Federal guidance and enforcement" in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta found the Department of Energy violated equal protection by canceling grants primarily because recipients were in states that did not vote for President Trump in 2024.
  • The court vacated DOE’s October termination notices for seven awards totaling $27.6 million and ordered briefing this week on potential injunctive relief.
  • The October 2025 action eliminated more than $7.5 billion across hundreds of clean‑energy projects in 16 states, while comparable projects in Republican-leaning states were often left intact.
  • DOE said it disagrees with the ruling and stands by its review process, asserting the affected awards did not meet standards for continued taxpayer spending, and it did not say whether it will appeal.
  • The judge rejected the plaintiffs’ First Amendment claim, and an internal DOE watchdog is auditing the broader set of cancellations.