Ted Cruz accuses Chinese party of funding U.S. climate groups

During a Senate hearing on June 26, 2025, Texas Senator Ted Cruz addressed the alleged financial ties between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and U.S. climate advocacy organizations. The session, titled 'Climate Lawfare and the Courts: How Foreign Actors Are Undermining American Energy Independence,' aimed to investigate how foreign interests, particularly from China, are influencing American energy policies. Witnesses, including Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Scott Walter, President of the Capital Research Center, presented evidence suggesting that the CCP is financially supporting groups that engage in climate litigation against U.S. energy producers, potentially undermining national security and economic independence. This claim was met with skepticism from the Democratic senators, particularly Sheldon Whitehouse, who dismissed the allegations as mere conspiracy theories aimed at distracting from the actions of the oil and gas industry. Cruz presented specific examples of financial support from the Energy Foundation China to prominent environmental organizations, aiming to illustrate a systematic campaign against American energy dominance. The discourse in the hearing highlighted the contentious divide between Democratic and Republican senators regarding the influence of foreign entities in domestic climate policy debates.