Trump officials escalate fight to take back $20B in climate money
Source: Politico
03/08/2025 08:00 AM EST
The Trump administration has directed nonprofits involved in a $20 billion Biden-era climate initiative to turn over records to the FBI and appear in federal court later this month, according to two people who were granted anonymity for fear of reprisal.
The move marks an escalation in the administration’s effort to claw back the climate money following its assertions that the Environmental Protection Agency had sought to evade oversight by depositing the $20 billion in Citibank accounts in the waning days of President Joe Biden’s term.
The fight is part of a larger power struggle kicked off by President Donald Trump’s attempts to unravel his predecessor’s spending decisions — even when that runs afoul of the actions of previous Congresses and funding that agencies have contractually obligated.
At least two groups that had been awarded shares of the funding through EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund received letters this week from acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin in Washington, directing them to turn over the records to the FBI within two weeks, said the two people, who were familiar with the document demand. The letters asked the groups for their communications with EPA staff and transactions related to the program. The letters also asked the organizations to provide copies of their articles of incorporation and policies and procedures for managing the grants.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/08/trump-doj-climate-nonprofits-hand-over-info-come-to-court-00218992
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