U.S. President Donald Trump has again frozen development on offshore wind projects on the East Coast, just weeks after a federal judge ruled that his initial attempt to pause development was “arbitrary and capricious.”
“President Trump is prioritizing American fishermen, working waterfronts, and the United States’ national security by pausing offshore wind projects,” New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association (NEFSA) Chairman and Chief Strategist Dustin Delano said in response. “These unreliable energy sources are an economic, ecological, and national security threat. Safeguarding the United States includes responsible ocean management, and as stewards of the sea, we’re thankful for this decision to halt offshore wind projects.”
Trump made opposition to offshore wind a key part of his 2024 campaign and acted immediately upon taking office to halt ongoing projects. On the first day of his second term, Trump issued an executive order pausing federal approval of offshore wind projects on the Outer Continental Shelf. His administration has continued to push to stimy offshore wind development, issuing stop work orders for New York-based Empire Wind and New England-based Revolution Wind – which were later rescinded – and rescinding all federally designated Wind Energy Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf.
However, Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated his executive order in December 2025, calling it unlawful.
“In addition to being arbitrary and capricious, the Wind Order must be set aside on the independent basis that it is contrary to law,” Saris said in her ruling.
The ruling was denounced by commercial fishing groups, which have stood in opposition to offshore wind. Commercial fishers have argued the wind infrastructure disrupts fisheries surveys, negatively impacts marine life, and impedes fishers from accessing lucrative fishing grounds.
“As a fisherman who has witnessed the effects of offshore wind on our ocean and the risks it poses to coastal communities and fishermen, yesterday’s ruling is deeply disappointing,” NEFSA President Aaron Williams said. “President Trump’s decision to halt offshore wind projects reflected a commitment to responsible ocean management; overturning that decision is a step backward in defending our oceans and the working waterfront.”
Despite the judge’s order, the Trump administration has moved quickly to reinstate a pause on offshore wind development. In a 22 December announcement, the U.S. Department of the Interior declared that work on wind farms needs to be stopped for national security reasons.
“The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a release. “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 with proximity near our East Coast population centers. The Trump administration will always prioritize the security of the American people.”
The department paused five leases along the East Coast: Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, CVOW – Commercial, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1.
Burgum's department justified its decision by stating that offshore wind turbines cause radar interference, obscuring other targets and indicating false targets.
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) was quick to dismiss the administration’s justification for the pause, noting that the Department of Defense had already cleared the wind energy projects.
“It’s hard to see the difference between these new alleged radar-related national security concerns and the radar-related national security allegations the Trump administration lost in court, a position so weak that they declined to appeal their defeat. Revolution Wind was long ago thoroughly vetted and fully permitted by the federal government, and that review included any potential national security questions,” Whitehouse said. “This looks more like the kind of vindictive harassment we have come to expect from the Trump administration than anything legitimate. This is President Donald ‘Stop Work’ Trump trying to keep affordable, clean energy off the grid, without a care about how many working people have to lose their jobs to keep his fossil fuel billionaires happy.”
Whitehouse said he will use his power as ranking member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to stall progress on important legislation until the administration rescinds the order.
The developers of two of the offshore wind projects have already filed suit against the administration for stopping development again.
