On May 4, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the state of Minnesota to block the state’s ongoing lawsuit against major oil companies.  

In 2020, Minnesota sued ExxonMobil, Koch Industries, and the American Petroleum Institute for alleged misconduct and deception about the climate harms of fossil fuels in violation of state law. The fossil fuel defendants have attempted to block and delay Minnesota’s case for years, only for the suit to continue moving forward. On April 28, 2026, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to hear the oil defendants’ appeal, ruling in favor of the state. 

Now, the Trump administration is suing Minnesota, arguing that the state’s lawsuit is an attempt to regulate greenhouse emissions, which are subject to exclusive federal authority. This latest lawsuit marks the fifth time the administration has sued states or communities seeking to hold the oil industry accountable for its role in fueling the climate crisis and misleading the public about the harms associated with greenhouse gas emissions. 

This frivolous and meritless lawsuit is just [the defendants’] latest attempt to hide from accountability, and I will move to have it dismissed immediately. The American people deserve a Department of Justice that fights for us, and it’s a tremendous shame that Trump’s DOJ would rather sell us out to Big Oil.Attorney General Keith Ellison