The Trump administration has taken steps to halt offshore wind development, citing national security risks. Since late last year, work on major projects has been stopped, and leases have been bought back due to these concerns.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pointed to a classified report from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as evidence of the threat posed by offshore wind development. This action aligns with President Trump’s aversion to wind turbines and his aim to promote fossil fuels for global energy dominance.
According to national lab estimates, turbines along U.S. coasts could generate enough power to cover the nation’s annual electricity consumption. However, wind turbines interfere with radar, a longstanding issue. The Pentagon, responsible for reviewing wind farm construction plans, can declare certain areas off-limits. Radar upgrades are available to mitigate the impact of turbines.
What you should know about offshore wind and national security:
- Turbines’ spinning blades can create false targets on radar screens.
- Burgum expressed concern about autonomous drones navigating wind tower fields undetected due to radar interference. Vibrations from wind towers might affect undersea sonar.
- Radar systems can be adjusted to alter detection thresholds but risk missing actual targets, according to the Department of Energy.
National security expert Kirk Lippold, a former commander of the USS Cole, noted that radar operators are trained to differentiate between live targets and clutter. Undetected drones presenting a large security problem before reaching a wind farm was emphasized.
The Trump administration insists on new risks and provided classified information to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in November 2025, detailing dangers from offshore wind projects. Construction on five major East Coast projects was halted days before Christmas.
Burgum stated that evolving adversary technologies and vulnerabilities necessitated action. Legal efforts to block Trump’s executive intervention were unsuccessful. Sweden, like the United States, voices security concerns for offshore wind energy. Sweden approved two farms while rejecting eleven others.
Denmark, a leader in wind energy since 1991, uses technological solutions for radar interference. The UK reported acquiring new air defense radars to address wind farm-related anomalies, integrating air defense and offshore wind.
E3G, an independent climate think tank, suggests North Sea turbines could serve defense roles by incorporating surveillance and monitoring equipment. Despite varying standpoints, judges dismissed Trump’s administration’s claims. Developers and states affected by construction halts filed lawsuits.
The Department of Justice emphasized national security concerns beyond court questioning of military assessments. Federal judges, after reviewing classified information, allowed construction to proceed on all five halted farms.
Judges expressed skepticism about using national security as a pretext for stopping offshore wind. Senior Judge Royce Lamberth criticized the delay in action based on information received in November.
Pentagon resistance to onshore wind farm development and emergency orders favoring fossil fuel plants continues. Attorneys general from eighteen states and Washington attempted to advance lawsuits on onshore wind farm progress.
Meghan Greenfield, partner at Jenner & Block LLP, viewed the administration’s widespread national security claims with skepticism by courts.
The Interior Department cited national security concerns with offshore wind projects, including California ones, and deemed immediate attention necessary. States challenged these actions legally.
Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn, familiar with waters off California’s coast, argued against claims invalidating lease area analyses. McGinn attributed the administration’s stance to favor fossil fuels and questioned its reasoning.
Opposing views from economist Diana Furchtgott-Roth call for serious consideration of longstanding defense issues. Furchtgott-Roth supports the administration’s prudence, emphasizing military concerns.
Members of Congress engaged in briefings. Democratic U.S. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island questioned the classified briefing’s conclusions and plans to propose a defense bill measure ensuring thoughtful analysis by the military siting clearinghouse in evaluating wind projects.
Reed acknowledged expected continued resistance from the administration against wind energy.