Biden Appointed Federal Judge Orders Trump Admin to Release EV Funds to Blue States

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restart electric vehicle infrastructure funding in 14 states, ruling the White House overstepped constitutional boundaries by halting a Biden-era program. The decision reignites debate over executive authority and green spending priorities.

Key Facts:

U.S. District Judge Tana Lin, a Biden appointee, issued a partial preliminary injunction restoring EV funding to 14 states.
The Trump administration had frozen the funds, citing concerns over misuse under Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law.
The lawsuit was filed by 16 states and Washington, D.C.; only 14 states were granted relief.
Lin ruled the funding halt violated the constitutional separation of powers, as Congress had already appropriated the funds.
The Trump administration now has until July 2 to appeal the order.

The Rest of The Story:

The court’s decision stems from a lawsuit led by blue states arguing the Trump administration unlawfully blocked funds already allocated by Congress for electric vehicle charging stations.

Judge Tana Lin agreed—at least partially—stating that the administration violated the Constitution’s separation of powers by overriding congressional spending authority.

The funds in question were part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program under Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure law.

Lin made it clear her ruling was about constitutional principles, not policy preferences: “When the Executive Branch treads upon the will of the Legislative Branch… it is the Court’s responsibility to remediate the situation,” she wrote.

States like California and New York will now receive funds they argued were critical to their green energy agendas, while other plaintiffs like Minnesota and D.C. were left out for failing to prove immediate harm.

US District Judge Tana Lin ruled the Trump administration overstepped their Constitutional authority by refusing to disperse funds for electric vehicle charger infrastructure thru the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by President Biden. https://t.co/UqPVeBJRf2 pic.twitter.com/RmrWKYS5AK

— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 25, 2025

Commentary:

Once again, the courtroom is doing what Congress should’ve done—laying down the law when executive overreach meets bureaucratic activism.

Let’s get this straight: President Trump hit pause on a Biden-era spending spree to reassess whether EV cash was being burned faster than a Tesla battery on a California freeway.

For that, he’s being slapped with a federal court order from a judge appointed by the very administration that rammed the funding through in the first place.

Judge Lin talks about the “separation of powers” like it’s some neutral principle floating above the political fray.

But her ruling funnels billions into blue states that just happen to be pushing the same green agenda that Biden backed.

Coincidence? Don’t bet on it.

Meanwhile, California’s AG Rob Bonta practically popped champagne, accusing Trump of doing Big Oil’s bidding.

Funny—no one mentions how electric car mandates are crushing middle-class budgets while lining the pockets of coastal elites and Chinese battery suppliers.

This isn’t about charging stations. It’s about charging taxpayers for an ideological crusade.

And when Congress writes checks, but state bureaucrats fail to show they’ll suffer without them—like in Minnesota and D.C.—even this judge couldn’t stretch the Constitution far enough to include them.

Here’s the kicker: Trump’s administration didn’t say “never.”

It said, “Let’s take a second look.”

That used to be called leadership. Now it’s painted as sabotage.

So buckle up.

Because if courts keep ruling that presidents can’t tap the brakes on runaway programs, then we’re in for a bumpy ride.