Trump torches offshore wind projects as feds halt new leases and order sweeping review
Atlantic City, NJ — President Donald Trump reignited criticism of offshore wind energy projects in a viral post Monday morning, slamming wind turbines as “stupid and ugly” while blaming them for rising energy prices and power reliability issues in New Jersey—just as a sweeping federal order surfaced, halting all new wind leasing across the Outer Continental Shelf.
In a post made at 7:28 a.m. on his Truth Social account, Trump declared that windmills were “killing New Jersey,” citing a 28% spike in energy costs and claiming the state no longer has enough electricity to function properly. He ended the message with an all-caps call to “STOP THE WINDMILLS!”
The post follows a memorandum issued earlier this year on January 20, which directed a temporary withdrawal of all offshore wind leasing across federal waters, pending a full-scale review of environmental, economic, and legal implications tied to onshore and offshore wind projects. The order, invoking the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, paused all new or renewed wind energy leases effective January 21 until the memorandum is revoked.
The policy shift, aimed at pausing and reassessing wind development, directs multiple federal departments—including the Departments of the Interior, Energy, and Agriculture, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency—to examine wind energy’s impact on marine life, energy costs, national security, and the reliability of the energy grid. The moratorium also includes specific review mandates for the Lava Ridge Wind Project, citing alleged deficiencies in environmental review and public interest concerns.
Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) quickly backed Trump’s statement online, echoing that “offshore wind is a scam” and calling for the program to end entirely. Van Drew has been an outspoken critic of offshore wind development along New Jersey’s coast and has linked the turbines to negative effects on marine life and rising electricity prices.
The federal memorandum states that existing leases will not be immediately affected but directs the Interior Secretary to explore possible legal grounds for amending or terminating those agreements. It also calls for an assessment of the long-term impacts of idle and decommissioned wind turbines, including how surrounding communities are affected.
The order does not apply to offshore leasing for oil, gas, or mineral extraction, nor does it prevent environmental conservation-related activity.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a leading advocate of offshore wind criticized Trump’s executive order and says he will continue to back offshore wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.
With federal support now frozen and political pressure mounting, the future of those projects—and the broader offshore wind sector—remains in question.
Key Points
- Donald Trump slammed offshore wind, blaming turbines for rising energy costs and power issues in New Jersey.
- A federal memorandum issued in January halted all new wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf and ordered a comprehensive review.
- Congressman Jeff Van Drew supported Trump’s position and called for a permanent end to offshore wind development.
Trump’s fiery post ignites backlash as feds pull the plug on offshore wind expansion—at least for now.