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The Trump administration’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year could save Americans $15 billion in “Green New Scam” funds, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
The agency’s X account noted the savings for taxpayers as another example of the president’s “Promises made, promises kept.”
“The Budget supports the President’s commitment to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources,” a White House statement revealed last week.
“The Budget cancels over $15 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Green New Scam funds provided to the Department of Energy for unreliable renewable energy, removing carbon dioxide from the air, and other costly technologies that burden ratepayers and consumers,” it continued.
The proposed budget shifts the Department of Energy’s focus toward research and development efforts to expand domestic supplies of fossil fuels and critical minerals. It also emphasizes support for innovative nuclear reactor designs, advanced nuclear fuels and technologies that ensure stable, reliable power generation.
In addition, the budget eliminates $5.7 billion in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that had been allocated to the Department of Transportation for electric vehicle charger programs regarded as ineffective.
The changes are part of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) budget submitted to Congress for fiscal year 2026. The proposal reduces non-defense discretionary spending by $163 billion, or 23 percent, compared to the 2025 enacted level, marking the lowest spending since 2017.
The budget aims to dismantle what it describes as a politicized federal bureaucracy while prioritizing national defense, border security, and support for law enforcement. Eliminating programs tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), critical race theory and other initiatives labeled as politically motivated will produce significant savings.
Defense spending is set to rise by 13 percent, while funding for the Department of Homeland Security would surge nearly 65 percent in response to border efforts and deportations. The proposed funding shifts are tied to the passage of what the Trump administration calls the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which it intends to enact through a simple majority vote in Congress, bypassing partisan gridlock associated with broader federal spending negotiations.
