Trump Administration Freezes Major Offshore Wind Projects

Mon Dec 22 2025 21:03:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant move, the Trump administration has paused leases for five substantial offshore wind projects due to national security concerns raised by the Pentagon. This decision gives the Interior Department time to assess potential security risks associated with the projects.

The Trump administration announced a halt on five offshore wind project leases, citing national security risks identified by the Pentagon. Key projects affected include Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts and Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, among others. The pause allows the Interior Department to collaborate with defense agencies to evaluate and mitigate potential security vulnerabilities posed by the burgeoning offshore wind sector.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Monday it is pausing leases for five major offshore wind projects under construction along the East Coast due to unspecified national security risks identified by the Pentagon.

The pause is effective immediately, allowing the Interior Department, which oversees offshore wind operations, time to work with the Defense Department and other agencies to assess and potentially mitigate any security risks associated with the projects.

The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people, said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a statement. Today's action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects located near our east coast population centers.

The administration's decision impacts several large projects, including the Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts, Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and two projects in New York: Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind.

According to the Interior Department, unclassified reports have indicated that the movement of massive turbine blades and the installations of the reflective towers generate radar interference, creating 'clutter' that obscures legitimate moving targets and produces false targets in the vicinity of wind projects.

This action follows a recent federal court ruling that struck down President Trump's executive order aimed at blocking wind energy projects, ruling it arbitrary and capricious and a violation of U.S. law. The court's decision favored a coalition of state attorneys general, led by New York's Letitia James.

Trump's administration has been historically critical of renewable energy initiatives, especially offshore wind, preferring fossil fuels for electricity generation.