Sen. Ted Cruz (R‑Texas) accused China of engineering a calculated campaign to cripple American energy dominance during a Senate Subcommittee hearing titled “Enter the Dragon—China and the Left’s Lawfare Against American Energy Dominance.” The attack, Cruz said, combines three strategic fronts: foreign funding of U.S. climate groups, mass litigation, and indoctrination of judges.
Cruz highlighted China’s funding of U.S. environmental organizations, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Rocky Mountain Institute, through Energy Foundation China—a group allegedly led by former CCP officials. That organization has granted millions since 2020 to support litigation targeting energy companies. Cruz called it “a full‑spectrum assault on American energy independence,” contrasting China’s continued fossil-fuel expansion with domestic energy shutdowns triggered by lawsuits.
Testimony revealed the involvement of the Climate Judiciary Project, a program Cruz says trains judges sympathetic to climate litigation. Cruz warned, “While China drills and digs, we sue and shut down,” as progressive groups leverage litigation to weaken the U.S. energy sector.
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse dismissed Cruz’s charges as conspiracy theory, contending that fossil-fuel backers have been the main source of “dark money” in politics. He argued China’s foundation focuses on domestic environmental work, not U.S. litigation.
Cruz emphasized the stakes: U.S. energy power fuels economic strength, national security, and global influence. He urged Congress to reform Clean Air Act litigation powers and ensure judges remain impartial before China-aligned advocacy campaigns shape the judiciary.
The hearing brought renewed attention to the intersection of global influence, climate litigation, and national energy policy—raising questions about judicial activism, foreign money in domestic advocacy, and the future of America’s energy independence.
