The Interior Department on Monday ordered a halt to construction of all five offshore wind projects currently being built in the United States, a major new attack on an industry that has been a frequent focus of the Trump administration’s hostility.
The Interior Department announced it is pausing all leases for large-scale offshore wind projects that are currently under construction, effective immediately. The pauses affect the Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind 1 projects.
Interior cited national security risks that were identified by the Department of Defense in “recently completed classified reports.” The department said the pause will give the administration time to work with leaseholders and states to assess the possibility of mitigating the risks.
Spokespeople for the developers of the five projects did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The move represents a new escalation for the Trump administration, which has repeatedly sought to halt the offshore wind sector that was a focus of the Biden administration. Trump has called wind turbines a “disgrace” and “a scam,” and has said his administration would not approve any projects.
The action Monday also puts two projects in the crosshairs that had previously faced the administration’s opposition. The Empire Wind project off the coast of New York was already halted in April by the administration, as was the Revolution Wind project that was blocked in August.
Those pauses caused widespread angst among developers and offshore wind supporters. A separate judge this month also called the administration’s halt of permits for offshore wind projects illegal. Both pauses were ultimately lifted — one after Trump claimed to strike a deal with New York and the other after a federal judge intervened.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum touted the action on Monday as aimed at protecting the American people.
“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers,” he said in a statement.
Monday’s action will also impact one project off the coast of Virginia that has the support of key Republican officials.
Interior on Monday cited radar interference — which it called “clutter” — as a concern caused by offshore wind projects. The administration has previously pointed to national security concerns for wind projects, but proponents argue those concerns are overblown and ignore ways to mitigate radar interference.
The department cited a 2024 report on Monday that stated that radar’s threshold for false alarm detection can be increased to reduce some clutter, but it said “an increased detection threshold” could cause radar to miss targets.
The administration’s ability to halt offshore wind projects was a major focus last week among House Republicans, as lawmakers advanced legislation seeking to overhaul federal permitting reviews.
