The Department of Energy’s $46.3 billion fiscal year 2026 budget request trims spending by 7 percent from this year’s $49.8 billion plan, slashing allocations for non-defense energy programs by 26 percent while increasing funding by 25 percent for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages the nation’s nuclear weapons programs.
The primary proposed cuts in the department’s discretionary spending are “green energy” initiatives adopted during the first two years of the Biden administration, clipping at least $3.7 billion in those programs in the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget and pulling the plug on nearly $20 billion in dedicated funding through 2032.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said those cuts are necessary in realigning the department’s focus on its “core mission” to rapidly expand the nation’s energy production to win “the AI race” against China, reshore advanced manufacturing, and lower electricity costs for American businesses and consumers….