Washington sues Trump admin. over ‘illegal’ $5B EV fund halt, slams move as ‘cash grab’
May 8, 2025, 11:46 AM | Updated: May 13, 2025, 8:09 am
A BYD owner charges his car battery at an EV charging station at a PTT service station. (Photo: Lauren DeCicca via Getty Images)
(Photo: Lauren DeCicca via Getty Images)
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is co-leading a lawsuit against the Trump administration over what he refers to as the unlawful termination of billions of dollars in electric vehicle funding approved by Congress, as stated in a news release from the AG’s office on Wednesday.
The lawsuit challenges the Trump administration’s Jan. 20 directive to halt disbursement of funds allocated under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Among the threatened programs is the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, a $5 billion initiative passed by Congress to support EV charging infrastructure.
AG Nick Brown: Trump’s decision to halt EV fund ‘robs taxpayers’
“The president’s illegal claw-backs aren’t spending reductions–they’re cash grabs that rob taxpayers, steamroll Congress, and stifle critical economic development,” Brown said. “Washingtonians are switching to electric vehicles at one of the highest rates in the nation. They deserve safe, reliable infrastructure to get their families from Point A to B.”
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In February, the Federal Highway Administration began revoking approved state plans and either withholding or withdrawing NEVI funds, according to the lawsuit. Brown argues it violates federal law.
“Congress made its intent clear: these funds are to be used to support our transition to a cleaner transportation future,” Brown said in a statement. “The administration cannot simply ignore that mandate.”
Brown is co-leading the legal effort with California and Colorado. The suit has also been joined by attorneys general from 14 other jurisdictions, including Delaware, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The coalition is seeking to halt what they describe as federal overreach and to restore the full funding amounts.
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