Summary
NOTUS investigative piece documenting that the Trump administration’s ~$8B energy grant cancellations systematically targeted blue-state projects while leaving identical projects in red and swing states untouched. Side-by-side comparisons show the pattern clearly. Energy Secretary Chris Wright denied political motivation while simultaneously saying cuts will eventually reach red states.
Key Points
- MN: $460M for transmission lines canceled; MT: $700M for the same type of project (connecting eastern/western grids) kept — MT voted Trump
- Hawaii: grid resilience wildfire protection canceled; GA: $160M from same program for Georgia Power kept — GA is swing/GOP-leaning
- Battery recycling: only 3 of 17 projects cut — CO and two CA projects; others in TX, VA, NC, UT, IN left untouched
- Hydrogen hubs: CA and Pacific Northwest hubs cut; TX, LA, WV, OH, SD, PA, IN hubs untouched “for now”
- Energy Sec. Wright denied political motivation on CNN Thursday night; but Leavitt told Fox the same day: “Pass the clean CR and all of this goes away”
- Wright: “As this fall goes on, you’ll see cancellations in red and blue states” — acknowledged more cuts coming
- Many projects already operational; canceling mid-project wastes already-distributed funds
- Some cuts appear to go against Trump priorities: battery recycling (supports mineral extraction goals) and natural gas modernization (GTI Energy lost 13 grants)
- IBM grant ($19.7M) categorized under NY cancellations but project is entirely in UT, MT, AK (Trump states) — shows DOE is sloppy with the data
Newsletter Angles
- The Leavitt vs. Wright contradiction is in the same news cycle: press secretary says “pass the CR and it goes away” (confirming political motivation); Energy Secretary denies political motivation in the same hour. This contradiction documents the lie in real time
- The “already operational projects” detail is significant for legal challenges: courts may be more receptive to breach of contract claims when the government has already disbursed funds and the recipient has already begun work
Entities Mentioned
- Donald Trump — administration directing the pattern of targeted cuts
- Russell Vought — OMB director; announced the cuts
Concepts Mentioned
- Regulatory Weaponization — discriminatory enforcement of spending cuts as political coercion
- Coercive Diplomacy — explicit “pass the CR and it goes away” framing
Quotes
“Pass the clean, continuing resolution and all of this goes away.” — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, to Fox News
Notes
NOTUS investigative piece. October 2, 2025. Multi-reporter. Best single source for documented red-state carveout in the energy cuts.