President-elect Trump’s transition team is advocating for federal funds currently allocated to President Biden’s green energy initiatives to be redirected toward national defense.
The transition team for the Republican president-elect is reportedly advising the incoming administration to end federal support for electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure once Trump takes office.
This recommendation, if implemented, would significantly undermine Biden’s longstanding effort to shift American consumers toward EV adoption.
Additionally, Trump is said to be weighing the introduction of a global tariff on all battery materials, allowing negotiation exceptions for allied nations. This move is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing components, as detailed in a document outlining the transition team’s plans.
The reallocated funds, according to the report, would shift from backing Biden’s green energy agenda to bolstering national defense initiatives.
The transition team’s document highlights that while minerals and components essential for EVs are deemed “critical to defense production,” EVs themselves and their charging infrastructure are not classified as such.
The Biden administration has heavily invested federal resources into its climate-focused agenda, particularly for EV production. In July, it announced $1.7 billion in funding for EV manufacturing.
Additionally, Biden’s administration offers a tax credit of up to $7,500 for EV purchases, a policy Trump reportedly plans to rescind upon assuming office.
The president-elect is expected to prioritize dismantling Biden’s green energy policies during the early months of his term. His administration’s plans include targeting EV-related measures immediately after taking office.
Trump previously stated that, if elected, he would revoke federal EV mandates and any waivers granted to California by the Biden administration.
Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed this stance, asserting that Trump would take these actions on “day one” of his presidency.
The Trump campaign has also criticized Biden’s support for California’s proposed EV mandate regulations.
Leavitt, serving as Trump’s campaign national press secretary at the time, told Fox News Digital: “Fresh off imposing his insane, job-killing electric vehicle mandate at the federal level, Crooked Joe Biden is preparing to slaughter the remnants of the U.S. auto industry by approving California’s waiver request outlawing the sale of all gasoline-powered automobiles.”
