Overview
The Interior Department froze five massive offshore wind farms mid-construction on December 22, citing classified Pentagon reports about radar interference. Dominion Energy's stock dropped 4%. Danish developer Ørsted plunged 11%. Nearly 6 gigawatts of renewable capacity—enough to power 3 million homes—sits idle while workers go home for the holidays.
This is Trump's third attempt to kill offshore wind in eleven months. A federal judge already struck down his January executive order blocking all wind permits as unlawful. The administration lost a lawsuit from 17 states in May. Now they're trying a new angle: national security. The problem? The Pentagon approved these exact projects in 2023 and 2024. Former military commanders say the radar concerns are solvable and solved in Europe for years.
Key Indicators
People Involved
Organizations Involved
Virginia utility with $10.7 billion bet on offshore wind now frozen mid-construction.
Europe's offshore wind leader now caught in Trump's crosshairs, twice.
Federal offshore regulator executing political whiplash in real time.
Timeline
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Four Governors Demand Reversal
PoliticalHealey (MA), Hochul (NY), McKee (RI), Lamont (CT) write Burgum: suspensions 'defy logic,' threaten thousands of jobs.
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Market Reaction: Billions Evaporate
MarketDominion drops 4%, Ørsted plunges 11%, nearly 6 GW of capacity frozen.
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All Five In-Construction Projects Suspended
SuspensionInterior Department freezes Vineyard Wind, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind, CVOW citing classified Pentagon radar reports.
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Federal Judge Strikes Down Wind Moratorium
LegalJudge Patti Saris rules Trump's executive order 'arbitrary and capricious,' violations of Administrative Procedure Act.
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Federal Judge Allows Revolution Wind Restart
LegalCourt injunction lifts suspension, construction resumes after one-month stoppage.
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Revolution Wind Ordered Stopped at 80% Complete
SuspensionBOEM issues first project-specific stop-work order, halting nearly finished Rhode Island/Connecticut wind farm.
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17 States Sue Trump Over Wind Ban
LegalCoalition led by Massachusetts, New York attorneys general challenges executive order as arbitrary and unlawful.
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Burgum Sworn In as Interior Secretary
AppointmentFormer North Dakota governor confirmed 79-18, pledges to divest oil/gas holdings, becomes Trump's 'energy czar'.
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Trump Signs Wind Energy Moratorium
Executive ActionDay 1 executive order halts all onshore and offshore wind permits pending federal review.
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Dominion Completes First Installation Season
Development78 monopile foundations and 4 offshore substations installed, CVOW reaches 50% completion on schedule.
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Vineyard Wind Blade Catastrophe
Incident107-meter turbine blade breaks 20 meters from root, scatters fiberglass debris across Nantucket beaches, closes south shore.
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BOEM Approves Coastal Virginia Construction
ApprovalFederal approval for $10.7 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, largest US offshore wind project.
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Biden Offshore Wind Acceleration
PolicyBiden administration approves 10 commercial projects totaling 15+ GW, holds six lease auctions providing 1.3 million acres.
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Dominion Wins Virginia Offshore Lease
DevelopmentFirst commercial offshore wind lease on East Coast goes to Dominion Energy for area offshore Virginia Beach.
Scenarios
Legal Victory Restores Projects Within Months
Discussed by: Environmental Defense Fund, state attorneys general offices, Administrative Procedure Act scholars
States file emergency lawsuit arguing the suspension violates the same laws Trump already lost on in December. A federal judge issues an injunction within 30-60 days, finding Burgum failed to provide reasoned explanation for overturning years of Pentagon reviews that cleared these exact projects. BOEM is ordered to lift suspensions. Projects resume construction by spring 2026, completing with 6-12 month delays and cost overruns in the hundreds of millions.
Suspension Extended, Projects Canceled, Billions Lost
Discussed by: Manhattan Institute, offshore wind opponents, fossil fuel industry analysts
Burgum extends the 90-day suspension indefinitely using national security classification to shield from judicial review. Developers face mounting carrying costs on billions in debt. Ørsted and partners walk away from Revolution and Sunrise Wind. Dominion renegotiates CVOW's $10.7 billion budget with Virginia regulators, potentially canceling. Supply chain collapses as specialized vessels and workers move to European projects. US offshore wind industry set back a decade.
Pentagon Contradicts Interior, Creates Cabinet Split
Discussed by: Former USS Cole Commander Kirk Lippold, defense policy experts, Congressional Armed Services Committee members
Pentagon officials publicly contradict Burgum's classified claims, pointing to their own 2023-2024 approvals and decades of European military compatibility with offshore wind. Defense Secretary testifies the projects pose no genuine threat. Congressional Republicans split between energy hawks wanting offshore wind for grid reliability and Trump loyalists. Burgum forced to narrow suspension to specific turbine configurations or radar mitigation requirements, allowing most projects to proceed with modifications.
Political Backlash in Swing States Forces Retreat
Discussed by: Regional news coverage from Virginia, analysis from swing-state political consultants
Virginia emerges as flashpoint. Republican Governor Youngkin faces pressure as 50%-complete CVOW threatens thousands of union jobs and billions in economic development in Hampton Roads. New York's Long Island representatives from both parties revolt over Sunrise Wind job losses. Trump administration quietly allows projects to restart with face-saving "enhanced monitoring" requirements after 90 days, claiming victory while backing down.
Historical Context
Cape Wind (Massachusetts, 2001-2017)
2001-2017What Happened
America's first proposed offshore wind farm became a 16-year legal and political battle. The 130-turbine project in Nantucket Sound faced fierce opposition from Cape Cod residents, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who fought it from his family's estate. Despite federal approval in 2010, opposition from wealthy coastal communities, utilities backing out, and regulatory delays killed the project. It was officially scrapped in 2017.
Outcome
Short term: Project canceled after $100+ million spent on development, no turbines built.
Long term: Set US offshore wind back a decade while Europe built 25+ GW of capacity.
Why It's Relevant
Shows how political and elite opposition can kill offshore wind despite federal approvals—exactly what Trump is attempting now with national security instead of aesthetics.
European Offshore Wind and Military Radar (2000s-2020s)
2000-2025What Happened
As Europe built 30+ GW of offshore wind capacity, military radar interference emerged as a solvable engineering problem rather than a dealbreaker. The UK, Germany, Denmark, and Netherlands developed radar mitigation protocols including advanced radar systems, turbine placement coordination, and stealth blade materials. Belgium's Navy recommended shared radar systems and data protocols between military and wind operators. Technical solutions freed 3+ GW of UK offshore capacity once considered blocked.
Outcome
Short term: Initial projects delayed 1-3 years for radar coordination and mitigation.
Long term: Radar interference became routine permitting consideration, not grounds for rejection.
Why It's Relevant
Pentagon approved these US projects after reviewing European solutions. Burgum's claims ignore decades of proven military-wind coexistence that US defense officials already studied and accepted.
Obama Coal Plant Regulations vs. Trump EPA Reversal (2015-2019)
2015-2019What Happened
Obama's EPA issued the Clean Power Plan in 2015 to reduce coal plant emissions, spurring utilities to invest billions in natural gas and renewables. Trump's EPA repealed it in 2019 with the Affordable Clean Energy rule. But the economic shift had already happened—utilities didn't rebuild coal plants. Courts struck down Trump's replacement as inadequate. The attempted reversal failed because market forces and billion-dollar investments had moved past the regulatory fight.
Outcome
Short term: Legal chaos, regulatory uncertainty, some projects delayed.
Long term: Coal plant retirements continued at same pace regardless of regulations; market economics overrode policy.
Why It's Relevant
Trump is again trying to reverse billions in private clean energy investment after construction has started. But you can't un-install 78 monopile foundations. The question is whether developers abandon sunk costs or fight in court.