New Jersey’s energy debate has hit a fever pitch this summer, as President Donald Trump reignited controversy over the state’s ambitious offshore wind power plans. On August 19, 2025, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to blast the Empire Wind Project, blaming it for what he described as “killing New Jersey.” He didn’t mince words, calling the windmills “stupid and ugly,” and squarely placing responsibility for surging energy bills on the state’s green energy agenda. “STUPID AND UGLY WINDMILLS ARE KILLING NEW JERSEY. Energy prices up 28% this year, and not enough electricity to take care of state. STOP THE WINDMILLS!” Trump declared in his post, as reported by Townsquare Media.
The president’s remarks came as New Jersey residents faced a sharp 20% hike in electricity bills on June 1, 2025. The state Board of Public Utilities had initially imposed the increase but, following public outcry, ordered it to be deferred until October when cooler weather would presumably ease the burden. Still, the summer’s bills have given many a taste of what’s to come, and the sticker shock has left ratepayers searching for answers—and someone to blame.
Trump’s intervention was hardly out of the blue. According to Townsquare Media, work on the Empire Wind Project had only recently resumed in May after the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management lifted a stop-work order. The project, developed by Norwegian energy giant Equinor, had been in limbo since April, caught between regulatory scrutiny and mounting political pressure. Equinor said construction was allowed to resume “following dialogue with regulators and federal, state, and city officials.”
It didn’t take long for political opponents of wind energy to seize on the moment. On Saturday, August 16, 2025, Republicans led a rally in Seaside Heights, with U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. 4th District, at the forefront. Smith called the Empire Wind Project “one of the worst taxpayer rip-offs ever” and a “serious national security threat.” He didn’t stop there, labeling ocean wind power “an environmental disaster in the making, an existential threat to sea creatures large—including whales and dolphins—and small.” Smith argued the project would be a “death sentence” for tourism and the state’s lucrative fishing industry, adding, “It will cost billions of taxpayer subsidies, making it the most expensive form of electricity on the planet.”
The rally came just days after the Department of the Interior announced a full review of offshore wind energy regulations. According to Smith, the review was intended to “ensure alignment with President Donald J. Trump’s energy priorities,” including making sure that federal rules do not give “preferential treatment to unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources over dependable, American-made energy.” Smith said he’d personally asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to halt the project.
Trump’s social media blast echoed the same themes he’s pushed for years, both in the U.S. and abroad. Earlier this month, during a cabinet meeting, Trump reportedly called wind and solar energy “a blight on our country” and “very expensive,” according to reporting by Townsquare Media. He’s also claimed, without evidence, that windmills are responsible for bird and whale deaths. “People ought to know that these windmills are very destructive. They’re environmentally unsafe. Just the exact opposite,” he said. “Because the environmentalists aren’t really environmentalists, they’re just political hacks.”
Trump’s criticisms of wind power aren’t limited to New Jersey. He’s made similar remarks during trips to his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, lamenting, “Today, I’m playing the best course I think in the world. Turnberry. Even though I own it, it’s probably the best course in the world. And I look over the horizon and I see 9 windmills at the end of the 18th. I say, isn’t that a shame? What a shame.” He added, “You have windmills all over of the place. Some of the countries prohibit it.”
Despite Trump’s assertions, multiple environmental agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, have stated there is no proven link between offshore wind development and widespread environmental harm. In fact, environmental experts have pushed back strongly against claims that wind turbines are causing mass bird and whale deaths. Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman, for example, was among those criticizing Trump’s stance, saying, “We stand in solidarity not only against Trump but against everything he and his politics stand for. He believes that climate change isn’t real, he believes that cutting services for those in the world with the least is the right thing to do. We say no to all of those things, not in our name, never in our name.”
The political battle in New Jersey reflects a broader national and international debate over the future of energy. The Murphy administration’s push for renewable energy has been a flashpoint, with critics arguing that reliance on wind comes at the expense of nuclear and fossil fuel sources, which they say are more reliable. Supporters of the wind project counter that New Jersey must transition to clean energy to meet climate goals and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, especially as federal and state incentives for green energy have grown.
Trump’s opposition has found a receptive audience among some ratepayers, especially as energy costs have risen. According to his Truth Social post and echoed at the Seaside Heights rally, the 28% increase in energy prices this year is being laid at the feet of wind energy—even as experts point to a more complex mix of factors, including global fuel prices, infrastructure costs, and regulatory changes.
Trump has also taken concrete action to roll back support for renewable energy. He signed an executive order this month ending subsidies for “green” energy, arguing that the market should determine winners and losers. This move has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists and renewable energy advocates, who warn that pulling support now could stall progress toward cleaner air and a more sustainable energy system.
For now, the Empire Wind Project remains a symbol of the larger fight over America’s energy future. As work resumes offshore, the debate onshore shows no signs of cooling down. Supporters argue that offshore wind is essential for meeting climate targets and creating new jobs, while opponents warn of higher costs, environmental risks, and threats to local industries.
With the Department of the Interior’s review underway and the political rhetoric heating up, the fate of New Jersey’s offshore wind ambitions—and the state’s energy bills—hangs in the balance. For residents caught in the crossfire, the question remains: will cleaner energy bring a brighter future, or just higher costs?
