Black and white photo of a highway view of an overpass from below.

Trump halts billions in Biden-era infrastructure funding with executive order

An executive order from Donald Trump has paused disbursements for infrastructure and climate initiatives launched under Joe Biden, threatening ongoing projects across the U.S.

Timothy Cama, Kelsey Tamborrino, Jessie Blaeser, Chris Marquette and James Bikales report for POLITICO.


In short:

  • Trump’s order directs federal agencies to stop disbursing funds from Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law and 2022 climate statute, affecting transportation, energy and broadband projects.
  • Legal and policy experts warn this move could breach contracts and violate the Impoundment Control Act, with projects in progress left unfunded or stalled.
  • Some Republicans express concern over the impacts, while others frame the pause as a review of spending priorities.

Key quote:

“It’s certainly even a step further than we thought the administration would go. Now they’re violating contract laws as well as the Constitution.”

— Charlie Ellsworth, senior adviser to the Checks and Balances War Room of the Congressional Integrity Project

Why this matters:

Halting infrastructure and climate funding disrupts critical projects meant to address decaying transportation systems, expand renewable energy and boost economic resilience. This decision, which many regard as illegal, could lead to delays, lawsuits and financial strain on states, especially those reliant on federal reimbursements.

Read more: Trump aims to undo Biden's climate and energy efforts

Shell’s petrochemical plant in Pennsylvania still hasn’t spurred economic development: Report
Shell's petrochemical complex in southwestern Pennsylvania. (Credit: Nate Smallwood for Environmental Health News and Sierra Magazine)

Shell’s petrochemical plant in Pennsylvania still hasn’t spurred economic development: Report

The county that’s home to the plant continues to fall behind the rest of the state and the nation in key measures of economic activity, according to a new analysis.

PITTSBURGH — After more than two years in operation, Shell’s petrochemical plant in Pennsylvania has failed to deliver economic growth to the surrounding region, according to a new report.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Factory with smoke emitting from a smokestack with piles of snowy dirt in foreground.

Big polluters miss key UN deadline on climate plans

Most major emitters, including China and the European Union, failed to submit updated emissions reduction plans to the United Nations, raising concerns about the global effort to combat climate change.

Chico Harlan reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
NOAA research ship at dock.

NOAA ordered to flag climate-related grants, raising fears of cuts

The Commerce Department has directed the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to review and identify climate-related grants, prompting concerns that funding for climate research and mitigation efforts could be at risk.

Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney and Raymond Zhong report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Offshore wind farm under blue evening sky.

Blue states fight to keep clean energy projects alive under Trump

President Donald Trump has halted offshore wind leasing, frozen funding for renewable energy and created uncertainty around clean energy tax credits, leaving states scrambling to salvage their climate goals.

Alex Brown reports for Stateline.

Keep reading...Show less
Image of a maple leaf with a stamp with the words United States Tariff.

Proposed oil tariff could raise gas prices in the Midwest

A potential 10% tariff on Canadian oil, proposed by President Trump, could force U.S. refineries to either pay more for crude or cut production, leading to higher fuel prices.

Rebecca F. Elliott reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Cars on a highway with white smoke emitting from smokestacks in the background.

Turkey surpasses Germany as Europe's biggest fossil fuel polluter

Turkey’s reliance on coal-fired power pushed its carbon emissions past Germany’s in 2024, reflecting a broader shift of Europe’s industrial pollution from its traditional hubs to regions with looser environmental regulations.

Gavin Maguire reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
person wearing a hard hat and holding air quality monitoring equipment in HVAC room.

Environmental group left in limbo after federal grant suddenly vanishes

A South Carolina environmental nonprofit lost access to a $365,000 federal grant after the Trump administration froze Inflation Reduction Act funds, leaving critical air monitoring projects in marginalized communities at risk.

Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.