The Trump administration suspended construction Monday on five large offshore wind projects along the Atlantic coast, citing radar interference concerns raised by the Department of Defense.
The Interior Department halted leases for projects in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia. The move affects Vineyard Wind, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the administration took action to address “emerging national security risks” posed by large-scale wind farms near East Coast population centers.
According to the department, rotating turbine blades and reflective towers interfere with radar systems, making it difficult to distinguish real threats from false signals. Federal agencies will use the suspension period to assess whether mitigation measures can address the security concerns.
The action puts at risk nearly six gigawatts of planned power generation and billions of dollars in private capital. Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind alone would power more than 600,000 homes when completed.
Financial markets reacted swiftly. Shares of Denmark’s Orsted, which develops Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, dropped 11 percent. Dominion Energy, behind the Virginia project, fell nearly 4 percent.
Critics challenged the national security rationale. The National Ocean Industries Association noted that all affected projects already passed Defense Department reviews. Senate Democrats said they would walk away from energy permitting talks if the suspension continues.
A federal judge had rejected Trump’s January executive order halting wind development just two weeks earlier. US District Judge Patti Saris ruled the order “arbitrary and capricious” and struck it down.
Environmental groups and state officials condemned the suspension. The Conservation Law Foundation called it “a desperate rerun” of failed attempts to halt offshore wind development.
Trump has waged a decade-long campaign against wind energy, dating to his legal battle with Scottish authorities over turbines visible from his Aberdeen golf resort.
He sued the Scottish government in 2013 to block an offshore wind farm but lost in the UK Supreme Court two years later. He campaigned in 2024 on ending the offshore wind industry. On his first day back in office, he issued an executive order halting new wind leases and permits. Trump has repeatedly called turbines ugly, inefficient, and deadly to birds and whales, claims fact-checkers have disputed for years.
The administration favors expanding oil and gas production over renewable power sources. Developers had been constructing the affected projects with scheduled completion dates through 2026.
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