Trump administration blocks 30GW of wind power citing national security – Department of Defense obstructing negotiations, meetings, and sign-offs in attempt to stall the ‘worst form of energy’

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The DoD is filibustering onshore solar farm applications

US President Donald Trump reacts before delivering his inaugural address after being sworn in inside the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.
(Image credit: Photo by KEVIN LAMARQUE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
  • The Trump administration has stalled 165 onshore wind farms
  • The wind farms could have powered 15 million homes
  • Trump is pushing for new fossil fuel projects and cancelling renewables

The Trump administration has blocked the development of 165 wind farms across the United States, citing national security risks in its reasoning.

The onshore wind farms require Department of Defense (DoD) approval before construction can begin to ensure they do not interfere with radar systems, flight paths, or military installations.

The output of the blocked wind farms would have been around 30 gigawatts, or enough to power 15 million homes.

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DoD delaying projects

The 165 wind farms included 35 developments that were awaiting a final sign-off from the DoD, some that were in the middle of negotiations with the DoD, and others that likely did not need approval by the DoD, according to the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and people close to the matter.

Developers have struggled to receive feedback and project sign-offs since at least August 2025, with the DoD failing to communicate with developers, cancelling meetings without the option to reschedule, and halting application processing.

Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has made numerous attempts to block, delay, or cancel green energy projects, previously stating, “we don’t allow the windmills and we don’t want the solar panels,” and falsely claiming wind power is “the most expensive energy there is.”

The Trump administration has also been targeting offshore wind farms in areas administered by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, claiming that “the windmills are driving the whales crazy,” and calling them “dangerous.”

More broadly, the Trump administration has made sweeping changes to how fossil fuel projects are permitted, cutting approval times from several years to just 28 days. The administration has also earmarked $15 billion to reopen coal and natural gas plants closed under the Biden administration.

Via Ars Technica

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Senior Writer, Security

Benedict is a Senior Security Writer at TechRadar Pro, where he has specialized in covering the intersection of geopolitics, cyber-warfare, and business security.

Benedict provides detailed analysis on state-sponsored threat actors, APT groups, and the protection of critical national infrastructure, with his reporting bridging the gap between technical threat intelligence and B2B security strategy.

Benedict holds an MA (Distinction) in Security, Intelligence, and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS), with his specialization providing him with a robust academic framework for deconstructing complex international conflicts and intelligence operations, and the ability to translate intricate security data into actionable insights.

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