Trump Administration Halts Revolution Wind: Offshore Wind’s Future at a Crossroads

It happened again. For the second time this year, the Trump administration has ordered a complete stop to construction of a nearly finished offshore wind farm designed to power homes and businesses in blue states.

On Friday, the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Matthew Giacona, instructed Danish energy developer Ørsted to halt work on the Revolution Wind project off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Giacona, a former oil and gas lobbyist, cited the need to protect “national security interests of the United States.” No additional explanation was offered.

The abrupt halt threatens not only billions in investment but also the credibility of America’s clean energy transition. It’s a reminder of how politics, ideology, and competing interests can collide in the energy sector — often at the expense of consumers.

Déjà Vu in Offshore Wind

This is not the first time the Trump administration has used its authority to freeze offshore wind projects. Back in April, the Interior Department issued a similar stop-work order for New York’s Empire Wind project. That pause lasted just one month, but the damage was enormous: developers reported nearly $1 billion in additional costs and warned the project came close to outright cancellation.

Now, with Revolution Wind already 80% complete, the stakes are even higher. Construction began in January 2024 following a lengthy five-year planning and review process that included extensive consultation with federal agencies, state governments, local communities, and the U.S. military.

If the pause drags on, the financial toll could dwarf what happened with Empire Wind.

The Promise of Revolution Wind

At full build-out, Revolution Wind is expected to generate 704 megawatts of clean electricity, enough to power more than 350,000 homes across New England. The project is strategically designed to deliver power into Rhode Island and Massachusetts, both of which experienced painful price spikes in electricity this past winter as global fossil fuel markets roiled.

By tying directly into New England’s regional grid, Revolution Wind would:

• Reduce dependence on imported natural gas

• Add price stability for utility customers

• Cut millions of tons of carbon emissions over its lifespan

For Ørsted, it’s also a flagship project in America. The company has staked billions on building a U.S. offshore wind market comparable to what already exists in Northern Europe.

National Security or Political Strategy?

So why halt the project now?

The official explanation — safeguarding national security interests — has left many industry veterans scratching their heads. Offshore wind siting in New England has always been a heavily coordinated process. The areas leased for development were identified in close collaboration with the Navy, Coast Guard, and Army Corps of Engineers to avoid conflicts with shipping lanes, radar, and training operations.

Bill White, a longtime offshore wind expert and former Massachusetts Clean Energy Center director, put it bluntly:

“There were no major military issues that came to the fore in New England. Was the military at the table, represented and consulted with during this stakeholder process? The answer is: very much so.”

By contrast, security concerns have been raised elsewhere. The Pentagon flagged offshore wind zones in the Mid-Atlantic (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina) as “highly problematic” in 2023 due to proximity to major naval bases. Yet no such warnings have been made public about projects in New England waters.

This disconnect suggests that national security may be more of a convenient talking point than a genuine obstacle.

Trump’s War on Wind

It’s also impossible to ignore the political context. Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of wind energy for years, falsely claiming that turbines cause cancer, kill whales, and ruin views. On the campaign trail, he promised that under his leadership, there would be “no new windmills” in America.

Since returning to office, his administration has acted in line with that pledge:

• Offshore wind leasing rounds have been canceled.

• Permitting for projects already underway has been slowed or paused.

• Tax credits critical to project financing have been allowed to sunset.

The Revolution Wind stoppage is simply the latest — and perhaps most consequential — move in this campaign.

The Economic Fallout

Pausing a nearly finished energy project doesn’t just delay clean power. It drives up costs dramatically. Every day that construction equipment sits idle, workers go unpaid, and supply chains stall. For developers like Ørsted, delays erode investor confidence and increase the risk that projects may never recover financially.

Empire Wind’s one-month pause last spring nearly sank the project. Revolution Wind, already representing billions in capital expenditures, could face even greater peril if this stoppage drags on into months.

Consumers also stand to lose. New England families and businesses are already paying some of the highest electricity rates in the nation. By delaying the addition of carbon-free offshore power, the administration is effectively locking customers into higher reliance on volatile fossil fuels.

Offshore Wind: A Nascent Industry Under Pressure

It’s worth remembering that the U.S. offshore wind sector is still in its infancy. Europe has over 30 gigawatts of installed offshore wind capacity. China is installing offshore wind at record pace, exceeding 10 GW annually.

The United States? Just one utility-scale project is operational — the 132-MW South Fork Wind near Long Island, which came online in early 2024. Revolution Wind is one of five currently under construction.

For an industry still trying to gain momentum, these halts send a chilling message: America is not a reliable market. That uncertainty alone could scare off international investment and leave the U.S. further behind in the global clean energy race.

The Bigger Picture: Climate and Competitiveness

Delays like this don’t just affect one project. They ripple outward. Every megawatt of offshore wind kept offline means more carbon emissions, more fuel imports, and more exposure to global price shocks.

They also weaken America’s position in the global clean energy economy. Europe and Asia are racing ahead with offshore wind supply chains, job training programs, and export markets. By undercutting its own offshore sector, the U.S. risks ceding long-term industrial leadership in a field where it could otherwise thrive.

And while the administration frames the stoppages as defending national security, the reality is that energy independence and grid resilience are themselves national security issues. Offshore wind strengthens both.

What Happens Next?

As of now, Ørsted has not provided a public estimate of how much the pause will cost or how long construction could be delayed. The company has emphasized that it followed every rule and conducted every consultation required under federal law.

BOEM has not indicated whether this will be a short-term review, like Empire Wind, or a more open-ended suspension. If the latter, Revolution Wind’s financial viability could be thrown into doubt — with enormous consequences for the broader industry.

Conclusion: Ideology vs. Innovation

Revolution Wind represents the crossroads of American energy policy. On one side, a clean, renewable energy project nearly ready to deliver power to hundreds of thousands of homes. On the other, an administration determined to halt offshore wind at nearly any cost.

If the project is allowed to finish, it could mark a turning point for New England — lowering bills, creating jobs, and strengthening energy security. If not, it risks becoming a cautionary tale of how politics can derail progress.

As Bill White and other industry veterans point out, the process that created New England’s wind energy areas was rigorous, transparent, and inclusive of military voices. The idea that “national security” suddenly requires stopping a project at 80% completion seems, at best, questionable.

In the end, America has a choice: double down on ideology, or embrace innovation. Revolution Wind’s future may well decide which path the country takes.

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