The United States Interior Department has suspended leases for all five offshore wind farms currently under construction on the East Coast. The action, announced Monday, cites national security concerns that massive turbines may interfere with military radar systems.
The announcement triggered an immediate market selloff. Shares of major developers and suppliers slumped. Ørsted A/S, co-developer of Revolution Wind, fell 13%. Vestas Wind Systems and Dominion Energy also saw significant declines.
The US is suspending leases for all five wind farms under construction off the East Coast in the latest blow to a sector that’s been targeted repeatedly by the Trump administration as part of its attack on clean energy. https://t.co/SX0xp6ddPD
— Bloomberg Law (@BLaw) December 22, 2025The suspended projects are:
- Vineyard Wind 1 (Massachusetts)
- Revolution Wind (Rhode Island/Connecticut)
- Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind
- Empire Wind 1 (New York)
- Sunrise Wind (New York)
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the decision. “These towers are gargantuan,” he told Fox Business. “One can understand how they would create issues for radar.”
The suspension enables the administration to work with developers to mitigate perceived risks. However, this is the latest in a series of blows to the sector from the Trump administration, which has openly expressed disdain for offshore wind.
Trump administration pauses all offshore wind projects, citing national security risks https://t.co/hSgsUssVlG pic.twitter.com/8lLhVhHdTw
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 22, 2025Analysts expressed doubt about the sudden security rationale. Pavel Molchanov of Raymond James noted radar interference issues have been known for years. “I’m skeptical that there is any new information… that singlehandedly warrants projects being halted,” he said.
Furthermore, a federal judge ruled earlier this month that Trump’s prior ban on new projects was illegal. The administration now appears to be using a national security argument as a potentially more durable legal strategy. Dominion Energy confirmed it received a 90-day suspension order for its Coastal Virginia project. The company warned the pause “will threaten grid reliability” for critical civilian and military assets.
Equinor, developer of Empire Wind, said it is evaluating the order. Ørsted and Vineyard Wind did not immediately comment.
