WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: California Governor Gavin Newsom attends an event with fellow governors in the East Room of the White House on February 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris all addressed the state and territory leaders who are in Washington for the annual National Governors Association Winter Meeting. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced today that California is leading a coalition of 17 states in a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging what they call an “unlawful” decision by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to block billions in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure funding authorized by Congress.
The lawsuit targets the FHWA’s halt of the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program—funding allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). According to Newsom, President Trump’s directive to freeze the release of these funds on his first day back in office directly undermines federal law. It would cost California over $300 million, eliminate thousands of clean energy jobs, and stall a critical sector of the state’s green economy.
“When America retreats, China wins,” said Governor Newsom. “President Trump’s illegal action is yet another gift to China—ceding American innovation and killing thousands of jobs. Instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, he could actually help Elon—and the country—by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding.”
The suit, filed in federal court, alleges the administration’s actions violate the U.S. Constitution, defy Congressional mandates, and threaten efforts to combat climate change. Attorney General Bonta called the move a blatant giveaway to the fossil fuel industry.
“The President continues to roll back environmental protections, this time illegally stripping away billions for EV infrastructure, all to line the pockets of his Big Oil friends,” said Bonta. “California won’t back down—not from Big Oil, and not from federal overreach.”
California’s EV infrastructure blueprint—approved by the federal government—relies heavily on the NEVI program, including $384 million earmarked to expand statewide charging networks. The state has already installed over 178,000 public or shared private charging ports and more than 700,000 at-home ports. Incentives for low-income residents and investments in medium- and heavy-duty EV charging are also underway.
Today’s lawsuit builds on California’s broader defense against what Newsom described as Trump’s “economically destructive and environmentally regressive” policies. The state is also challenging new federal tariffs and expanding international trade efforts to protect California’s workforce and supply chains.
As a national leader in zero-emission transportation, California remains committed to building a sustainable and accessible EV future—even as it fights to reclaim the federal funds it says are rightfully its own.
