The Trump cabinet launched a multi-agency review of offshore wind projects, halting developments in Rhode Island and Maryland over economic and environmental concerns.
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| President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting, Wednesday, February 26, 2025, in the Cabinet Room. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley) |
During a recent cabinet meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that a coalition of multiple U.S. federal agencies—including the Departments of Defense, Energy, Commerce, and Interior—is now collaborating to review offshore wind farms previously approved under the Biden administration. This coordinated effort signals a deliberate shift in federal energy policy aimed at curbing the expansion of offshore wind energy, a central component of the prior administration’s clean-energy agenda.
In a dramatic escalation over the past week, the Trump administration has issued a stop-work order on a nearly completed offshore wind project off Rhode Island and initiated the process to revoke federal approval for a planned facility off the coast of Maryland.
Kennedy cited both economic and environmental concerns as justifications for the review, referencing last year’s catastrophic turbine blade failure near Massachusetts—an incident that saw debris scatter ashore—as a cautionary reminder. He also raised issues concerning how such offshore developments could negatively affect the fishing industry and endangered marine species like whales.
President Trump himself underscored the administration’s stance during the meeting, declaring: "We don’t allow windmills... unless the legal situation clearly predates this administration." This remark underscores the administration's prioritization of legal and economic scrutiny over renewable energy expansion.
This move compounds a broader narrative: U.S. investment in renewables fell by a staggering $20.5 billion in the first half of 2025—down 36% from the previous half-year—highlighting the chilling impact of shifting energy policies.