A federal judge on June 25, 2025, ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to at least 17 states and the District of Columbia, halting a freeze that had stalled projects nationwide. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in May by Washington state and others, alleging the administration overstepped its authority by pausing billions of dollars allocated by Congress for the build-out of a national EV charging network.
The dispute centers on approximately $1 billion in funding initially directed to the plaintiff states through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, established under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In January 2025, President Trump mandated a pause on the disbursement of funds appropriated under both the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act, including those earmarked for EV charging infrastructure. The Federal Highway Administration subsequently rescinded approvals of state plans developed over years, effectively halting the flow of money.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, leading the legal challenge, argued that the administration’s actions violated the separation of powers. “Congress invested in forward-looking, clean electric vehicle infrastructure – exactly the future that Washington wants,” Brown stated. “The court has now confirmed that Donald Trump can’t just wish that future away as he likes fossil fuels.”
U.S. District Court Judge Tana Lin, in her order, directed the Trump administration to reinstate the states’ Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans to their previous legal status and resume the release of NEVI funds. The judge stayed the order for seven days, allowing the administration time to file an appeal, with the funding set to resume on July 2, 2025, if no appeal is lodged.
The lawsuit brought by Washington state and 16 other states, along with the District of Columbia, claimed the administration’s justification for the funding freeze – a stated need to “review the policies underlying the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program” – was a pretext for obstructing a policy initiative favored by the previous administration. The plaintiffs argued that Congress had clearly designated the funds for EV infrastructure and that the executive branch lacked the authority to unilaterally withhold them.
Several environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Climate Solutions, joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs, underscoring the broad coalition supporting the expansion of EV charging infrastructure. The states involved collectively represent roughly $1 billion of the withheld federal funding. The court’s decision does not immediately unlock funding for states not party to the lawsuit, leaving the fate of those funds uncertain.
As of February 22, 2026, the Trump administration has not publicly announced whether it intends to appeal the court’s order.
