The future of offshore wind power in the United States has been thrown into uncertainty after the Trump administration abruptly halted construction on the nearly complete Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island. The move, announced on August 22, 2025, by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has ignited fierce debate among politicians, industry leaders, environmental advocates, and local residents, with each side voicing concerns about the implications for climate policy, energy security, and the nation’s renewable energy ambitions.
Revolution Wind, developed by Danish energy giant Orsted, was about 80% finished when the stop-work order landed. According to Orsted, 45 of the project’s 65 turbines had already been installed, and all offshore foundations were in place. The project had begun construction in 2023 after years of federal and state reviews and had received final federal approval from BOEM in 2024, as reported by Bloomberg. Orsted had expected to bring the wind farm online in 2026, providing enough electricity to power more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
The BOEM’s order cited unspecified "national security concerns" as the reason for halting work but offered no details. The agency stated it would need to "address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States" before construction could resume. The lack of specificity has only added to the confusion and frustration among state officials and stakeholders, who say the project had already cleared extensive regulatory hurdles.
The decision is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration targeting renewable energy projects, particularly those involving wind and solar. President Donald Trump has made his opposition to these technologies clear, recently blasting wind and solar as "THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY!" in a social media post and vowing, "The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!!" on his Truth Social platform. He has pledged not to approve wind or "farmer destroying Solar" projects, signaling a dramatic policy reversal from the previous administration’s push toward clean energy.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, both Democrats, swiftly condemned the stop-work order. In a joint statement posted on X, McKee announced, "We will pursue every avenue to reverse the decision to halt work on Revolution Wind." Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal echoed their sentiments, calling the halt "a major setback for a critical project in Connecticut," and promising, "I will fight it." State officials in Rhode Island are also considering legal action, with Attorney General Peter Neronha warning, "Without Revolution Wind, our Act on Climate is dead in the water." The Act on Climate, passed in 2021, set Rhode Island on a path to transition fully to clean energy by 2033—a goal that now hangs in the balance.
Orsted, for its part, has said it will comply with the stop-work order while "evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously," including potential legal proceedings and engagement with permitting agencies. The company has invested heavily in the region, operating a factory in Providence that manufactures turbine foundations for several East Coast wind farms and employing local union labor for assembly and installation. The sudden halt puts hundreds of American jobs at risk and leaves the company assessing the financial fallout. Orsted’s share price has already suffered under the Trump administration’s broader campaign against offshore wind, and the company recently launched a dilutive rights offering to fund a separate U.S. project off New York.
The Revolution Wind project is located more than 15 miles south of Rhode Island’s coast, 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, and 12 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. It was set to be the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm for both Rhode Island and Connecticut, states with little land available for large-scale renewable projects. For these densely populated states, offshore wind is seen as essential to meeting climate targets and supplying clean, reliable power.
The halt comes amid a broader pattern of federal intervention in renewable energy projects. Earlier this year, the Trump administration temporarily stopped work on the Empire Wind project off New York, only permitting it to resume after reaching a deal with state officials that included provisions for new gas pipelines. The administration also canceled a major wind project in Idaho and has begun a comprehensive review of the approval process for wind developments on federal lands, raising the prospect of further delays or cancellations.
Industry voices have expressed alarm at the federal government’s shifting stance. Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association—which represents both fossil fuel and renewable developers—stated, "Today, the U.S. has only one fully operational large-scale offshore wind project producing power. That is not enough to meet America's rising energy needs. We need more energy of all types, including oil and gas, wind, and new and emerging technologies." Kit Kennedy, managing director for the power division at the Natural Resources Defense Council, was more pointed: "This administration has it exactly backwards. It's trying to prop up clunky, polluting coal plants while doing all it can to halt the fastest growing energy sources of the future – solar and wind power. Unfortunately, every American is paying the price for these misguided decisions."
Not everyone is dismayed by the halt. Green Oceans, a nonprofit opposing offshore wind, applauded the BOEM’s decision, saying, "We are grateful that the Trump Administration and the federal government are taking meaningful action to preserve the fragile ocean environment off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts." This perspective highlights the ongoing debate over the environmental impacts of offshore wind, with critics raising concerns about effects on marine life and coastal ecosystems.
For now, the fate of Revolution Wind—and the broader trajectory of U.S. offshore wind—remains uncertain. The project’s suspension has left state climate goals in jeopardy, put hundreds of jobs on hold, and cast a shadow over future investments in American renewable energy. As legal and political battles loom, all eyes are on Washington and the courts to determine whether the winds of change will once again fill the sails of offshore wind development, or whether they will be stilled by shifting federal priorities.
