Trump vs. Clean Energy: Offshore Wind at Center of Legal and Political Fight
The Trump administration has reignited its battle with the U.S. clean energy sector, with offshore wind emerging as the central battleground. One of President Donald Trump’s first executive actions after returning to the White House in January was to sign a memorandum withdrawing all areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from offshore wind leasing. The order also launched a broad review of the federal government’s permitting and leasing practices for wind energy projects.
The administration says the move is necessary to safeguard national security, reduce foreign influence over U.S. infrastructure, and ensure taxpayer-backed developments align with domestic economic priorities. But clean energy advocates see it as the opening salvo in a wider campaign to weaken the renewable energy sector and restore fossil fuel dominance.
The clean energy industry sees it differently. Offshore wind developers and Democratic officials warn the decision could derail a sector that has already attracted billions in investment and was expected to supply power to millions of homes. In response, seventeen states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston seeking to overturn the leasing freeze. The plaintiffs argue the move is unlawful and poses a direct threat to clean energy jobs and climate goals.
Norway’s state-owned energy company Equinor is also weighing legal action after the administration ordered construction halted on its $2.5 billion Empire Wind project off the coast of New York. The company called the order “unprecedented” and “unlawful,” saying it had already received all necessary approvals and invested nearly $2 billion in the project.
At the same time, the Department of Energy under Trump-appointed Energy Secretary Chris Wright is reviewing roughly $15 billion in clean energy grants awarded during the Biden administration. The audit covers 179 projects, including those tied to power grid upgrades, battery production, and offshore wind infrastructure. Wright says projects that don’t align with current policy or fail to provide adequate documentation risk having their funding slashed or revoked.
The crackdown has sent shockwaves through the renewable energy sector, particularly among companies involved in long-term offshore wind supply chains. While the Trump administration frames its actions as fiscal responsibility and strategic recalibration, critics argue it represents a political campaign against clean energy — and a reassertion of fossil fuel dominance.
As lawsuits move forward and audits begin, the fight over offshore wind is fast becoming a defining feature of the Trump administration’s energy policy. With hundreds of millions in public and private investments hanging in the balance, the future of U.S. offshore wind — and its role in the nation’s power mix — is now at stake.
