In the second week of October 2025 the U.S. Department of Energy, under Secretary Chris Wright, canceled roughly $718 million in Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains Office grants tied to advanced battery and clean-energy projects, affecting firms including Ascend Elements, American Battery Technology Co., Anovion, ICL Specialty Products and LuxWall; notable losses include ICL’s $197 million grant for a lithium‐iron‐phosphate cathode plant near St. Louis and Ascend’s Kentucky facility (a $316 million award, $206 million disbursed). DOE cited missed milestones, misalignment with current national priorities and lack of guaranteed taxpayer return, following intensified internal reviews (May 2025 memo). The pullbacks threaten startups’ scaling, supply‐chain stability for cathodes, synthetic graphite and recycling, and regional jobs in states like Kentucky and Missouri; the move forms part of broader cuts (~$7.6 billion) and signals a shift to selective, economics‐driven funding, prompting calls for clearer policy certainty and alternative financing.