Federal court documents reveal that the Trump administration canceled more than $7.5 billion in Biden-era clean energy grants in October 2024 based solely on political criteria, targeting states with Democratic leadership that supported Kamala Harris. The admission emerged in a California researchers’ lawsuit challenging the funding cancellations, after previously being defended as protecting taxpayer dollars from waste. Officials acknowledged that the terminated grants were not based on programmatic factors but on partisan considerations, with most affected grants tied to states that voted for Harris and had Democratic senators. Critics argue the move weaponized federal funding to aid allies and punish opponents, while supporters had characterized it as eliminating wasteful spending. The disclosures come as the administration pursues regulatory moves that would expand presidential control over more than $1 trillion in annual federal grants. The developments underscore a broader debate over how political considerations may influence federally funded programs.