Trump admin pauses leases for some offshore wind projects citing ‘national security concerns’
1:02Interior Secretary Doug Burgum addresses an event alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on October 06, 2025, in Washington, DC.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The Trump administration has halted leases for five offshore wind initiatives due to "national security concerns" highlighted by the Department of Defense, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced on Monday.
"Today’s decision addresses emerging risks to national security, including the rapid advancement of adversarial technologies, and the vulnerabilities posed by large-scale offshore wind developments near our east coast population centers," Burgum stated in a press release regarding the action.
The administration did not specify the national security threats associated with the wind farms, noting that the Department of Defense identified these threats in "completed classified reports."
"Concerning the national security challenges related to large-scale offshore wind projects, unclassified reports from the U.S. Government have long established that the movement of enormous turbine blades and the highly reflective towers generate radar interference known as 'clutter.' The clutter produced by offshore wind developments obscures legitimate moving targets and creates false targets in proximity to the wind projects," the Department of the Interior stated in its press release.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum addresses an event alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on October 06, 2025, in Washington, DC.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
This action impacts projects off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Virginia, and New York.
According to the Department of the Interior, the five leases affected are: Vineyard Wind 1 (OCS-A 0501), Revolution Wind (OCS-A 0486), CVOW – Commercial (OCS-A 0483), Sunrise Wind (OCS-A 0487), and Empire Wind 1 (OCS-A 0512).
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont criticized the decision as "yet another erratic, anti-business action by the Trump administration that will increase electricity costs in Connecticut and across the region."
"This project is nearing its completion and is creating well-paying clean energy jobs," Lamont expressed in a statement.
Burgum mentioned in a post on X about the decision that the projects were "costly, unreliable, and heavily subsidized offshore wind farms."
Trump has publicly expressed his aversion to windmills at various events and during his campaign.
"Wind is the worst," Trump remarked in a speech in Pennsylvania earlier this month. He added, "We don’t want — we don’t approve windmills. We don’t approve it. I’m sorry."
During a trip to Scotland in July, Trump urged Europe to "stop the windmills."
"You’re ruining your countries. I truly mean it. It’s so unfortunate. You fly over and see these windmills everywhere, destroying your beautiful fields and valleys and harming your birds. And if they’re located in the ocean, they’re damaging your oceans. Stop the windmills," Trump stated.
Wind represents the largest source of renewable energy in the country, contributing approximately 10% of the electricity produced in the United States, as per the Department of Energy. Advocates argue that renewable energy plays a crucial role in decreasing global reliance on fossil fuels, and the sector continues to expand globally despite facing political hurdles.
The Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group, condemned the Trump administration’s action on Monday.
"The Trump administration’s hostility toward renewable energy is relentless. Instead of advancing us as a nation, they are fixated on undermining a burgeoning industry that offers good clean energy jobs and affordable, clean electricity. Americans require cheaper and more dependable energy that does not compromise our health and future," Melinda Pierce, the group’s legislative director, stated in a press release.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com