Trump cites national security to stop offshore wind development. Here's what to know

By — Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-cites-national-security-to-stop-offshore-wind-development-heres-what-to-know Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump cites national security to stop offshore wind development. Here's what to know Politics Jul 17, 2026 1:49 PM EDT President Donald Trump's administration has worked to stop offshore wind development on the grounds that it's a national security risk since late last year. It halted work on major projects, and it's buying back leases, citing national security concerns. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says a classified report from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth proves offshore wind is a national security threat. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. This comes against the backdrop of the Republican president's hatred of wind turbines and desire to boost fossil fuels for "energy dominance" in the global market. National lab estimates show that turbines installed along the U.S. coasts could provide more than enough power to cover the nation's annual electricity consumption. Wind turbines interfere with radar, but that isn't a new problem. The Pentagon reviews wind farm construction plans and can deem areas off limits. There are upgrades to radar to mitigate turbine impacts. Here's what to know about the national security implications of offshore wind development: Turbines' spinning blades can create false targets on radar screens Burgum says he's worried about autonomous drones going through a wind tower field undetected because of radar interference. And, he said, the vibration of wind towers could affect undersea sonar. Radar systems can be adjusted to raise the threshold for what's considered a detection but may miss actual targets consequently, according to the Department of Energy. READ MORE: New York, 6 other states sues over the Trump administration's deal to end an offshore wind project Kirk Lippold, a national security expert and former commander of the USS Cole, said radar operators are trained to differentiate a live track — anything from a boat or a submarine periscope to an inbound drone or missile — from clutter. If drones aren't detected before they reach a wind farm, "we have bigger national security issues," he said. Trump administration says there are new risks According to the Department of Justice, defense officials gave the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management classified information in November 2025 detailing new national security risks from offshore wind projects. BOEM halted construction on five big East Coast projects days before Christmas. Burgum said they had to address the rapid evolution of relevant adversary technologies and vulnerabilities created by these projects near East Coast cities. This came after courts blocked Trump's effor