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Biden-appointed federal judge forces Trump administration to release funds for EV chargers

By ramontomeydw // 2025-06-28

• A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully withheld billions in funding for EV charging stations allocated under Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ordering its release.
• The ruling reignited partisan conflict over green energy subsidies, with Trump's DOT criticizing it as "activist overreach," while Democrats like California AG Rob Bonta praised it as a check on executive overreach.
• Despite the 2021 law's $5 billion NEVI program aiming for 500,000 chargers by 2030, only seven have been built so far, with 84 percent of funds unspent, highlighting bureaucratic and logistical inefficiencies.
• The decision allows 14 states to proceed with stalled projects but leaves Minnesota, Vermont and D.C. without immediate access to funds.
• Logistical hurdles and potential appeals by July 2 cast doubt on whether unlocked funds will accelerate charger deployment, underscoring tensions between climate goals and implementation.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release of billions of dollars in stalled funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, a legacy of former President Joe Biden's push for electric cars. District Judge Tana Lin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state issued her ruling on the matter Tuesday, June 24. In her decision, the Biden-appointed magistrate ruled that the Trump Department of Transportation (DOT) overstepped its authority by freezing funds for EV chargers. The aforementioned money had been allocated under the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Lin asserted that Congress' clear mandate to fund EV infrastructure took precedence over executive branch delays. "When the executive branch treads upon the will of the legislative branch … it is the Court's responsibility to remediate the situation," she wrote. The judge's ruling reignited a political clash over green energy subsidies while also exposing glaring inefficiencies in the Biden administration's infrastructure plans. The decision allows 14 states – including California, New York and Arizona – to move forward with stalled charging projects. However, it leaves Minnesota, Vermont and Washington, D.C. without immediate relief. The ruling centers on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, a $5 billion initiative passed in 2021 to blanket U.S. highways with fast-charging stations and accelerate EV adoption. Yet despite Biden's promise of 500,000 chargers by 2030, progress has crawled. Of this ambitious goal of half a million chargers, only seven have been built across four states so far. Meanwhile, roughly 84 percent of NEVI funds remain unspent, according to White House figures. (Related: Op-ed: Only 7 EV charging stations out of 500,000 nationwide target built under Biden admin's $7.5B plan.)

From free money to frozen funds: The high-stakes EV charger standoff

The Trump administration, however, painted the ruling as activist overreach. "Another day, another liberal judicial activist making nonsensical rulings from the bench because they hate President [Donald] Trump," a DOT spokesperson shot back, vowing to continue reforming what they called a "disaster" of a program. The standoff underscores a deeper ideological rift. Trump has sought to dismantle Biden's climate initiatives, pausing EV funds as part of a broader rollback. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, praised the injunction. "California looks forward to continuing to vigorously defend itself from this executive branch overreach," he said, declaring that the administration cannot "dismiss programs illegally." Yet logistical hurdles – permitting delays, contractor shortages and costly electrical upgrades – have also throttled progress, raising concerns about whether even unlocked funds can swiftly translate into functioning chargers. New York officials, for instance, say $120 million remains frozen despite the state's $175 million NEVI award. Historically, U.S. infrastructure programs have been marred by sluggish execution. But the EV charger debacle highlights a unique tension between urgency and feasibility. The 2021 law came amid soaring climate ambitions but has since collided with partisan roadblocks and bureaucratic inertia. States now face a July 2 deadline to see if the Trump administration appeals, a move that could prolong uncertainty. For now, the ruling offers a temporary lifeline to the sputtering NEVI push. Yet with billions still sitting idle and charger installations lagging, skepticism grows over whether political posturing or practical fixes will ultimately jumpstart America's EV revolution. Watch Dana Loesch revealing that diversity efforts by the Biden administration delay its ambitious EV charging goals. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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Biden's EV mandates: A tyrannical overreach on American freedom. Trump administration pulls the plug on federal EV chargers, orders sale of electric cars. Toyota warns that Biden's electric vehicle push will FAIL; U.S. charging infrastructure will COLLAPSE. Sources include: WattsUpWithThat.com DailyCaller.com APNews.com Brighteon.com

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