December 23, 2025 - The Trump administration on Monday ordered a halt to five offshore wind projects currently being built in the United States, a major new attack on a power-generating industry even as voters fret about climbing electricity prices.

The Interior Department announced it is pausing all leases for large-scale offshore wind projects that are currently under construction, effective immediately. It lands as the Trump administration is facing political heat from skyrocketing energy costs in part from the growth of data centers and artificial intelligence. Residential retail electricity rates rose roughly 7 percent in September from a year prior, according to monthly tracking by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The pauses affect the Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind 1 projects stretching from Virginia to New England, initiatives that together would generate enough electricity to power almost 2.7 million homes.

Interior cited national security risks that were identified by the Department of Defense in "recently completed classified reports." The department said the pause will give the administration time to work with leaseholders and states to assess the possibility of mitigating the risks.