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Trump administration admits grants, including to Minnesota Power, were canceled over politics
A DOE lawyer said 284 terminated grants were tied to blue states, and Minnesota Power and Commerce awards have been reinstated.
Minnesota Power's $50 million grant and the Minnesota Department of Commerce's $464 million grant have been reinstated after the DOE admitted October 2025 cancellations were 'based solely' on the political identity of recipient states.
In October 2025, the Trump administration canceled 284 grants across 16 states that voted for Kamala Harris. Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought called the projects 'Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda.'
A DOE lawyer acknowledged in a court filing last month that the agency 'accepts that the inclusion of grants in the October notice tranche was based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient's state.'
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the House Science, Space and Technology Committee in June that 'No decisions were made on politics,' yet a DOE spokesperson reaffirmed Monday the Secretary's testimony remains correct despite conflicting court admissions.
The DOE's Office of Inspector General began auditing the agency's decision-making in December, with 340 grants remaining active after the cancellation tranche. The review scrutinizes why specific projects faced termination while others remained untouched.