Court Blocks Trump’s Attempt To Cut EV Charger Funds

India-West News Desk

SEATTLE, WA – A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from withholding billions in funding meant to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, marking a major legal setback in the administration’s broader rollback of climate initiatives.

U.S. District Judge Tana Lin ruled on June 24 that 14 states are likely to succeed in their legal challenge, which accuses the administration of unlawfully suspending grants from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. The program, established under the Biden administration, allocates $5 billion to help states build out EV charging networks—covering up to 80% of installation costs.

Trump’s Department of Transportation abruptly halted the program in February, freezing state-approved plans under the pretext of an internal review. The move effectively stalled EV infrastructure projects across the country, even in states that already had operational charging stations under the program.

Judge Lin’s order gives the administration seven days to appeal, but her ruling follows a May determination by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office, which concluded that the administration violated federal law by withholding funds. According to the GAO, the funds must be disbursed as originally directed by Congress.

The case is the latest example of courts stepping in to counter Trump’s efforts to unwind federal climate investments. As the administration continues to target clean energy programs, legal challenges are increasingly serving as a bulwark against policy reversals.