Trump Halts Rhode Island Wind Farm, Leaving Thousands of Jobs in Limbo

A nearly finished offshore wind farm off Rhode Island’s coast has been thrown into chaos after the Trump administration abruptly ordered construction to stop — putting thousands of jobs and a major chunk of clean energy capacity at risk.

The Revolution Wind project, developed by Danish energy giant Ørsted, was about 80% complete when the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) pulled the plug late Friday. Officials cited “national security concerns” but offered no details.

Ørsted says the move jeopardizes 2,500 US jobs in construction, shipbuilding, and manufacturing, plus hundreds of union workers who were set to head offshore this year.

“All these jobs hang in the balance,” said company spokesman Tory Mazzola.

Rhode Island union leaders blasted the decision as reckless and devastating.

“To stop a project that’s 80% complete and toss hundreds of tradesmen and women onto the unemployment line? Makes no sense,” said Michael Sabitoni of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council. “It’s one of the most asinine moves I’ve seen in 38 years.”

Patrick Crowley, head of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, went further, calling it “a betrayal of Rhode Island’s working class.”

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont also slammed the order, warning that the shutdown will drive up already high electricity costs and weaken the regional grid. Connecticut and Rhode Island residents already pay some of the steepest power bills in the nation.

President Trump has long been a vocal critic of wind power. On Monday he doubled down, saying simply:

“Wind doesn’t work.”

This isn’t the first time his administration has gone after offshore projects. In April, another wind farm off New York was halted before eventually restarting — with nearly $1 billion in added costs for the developer.

Revolution Wind was supposed to power 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut by next year. Now, with crews sidelined and equipment sitting idle, its future is uncertain.

“We’re in the eighth inning of this baseball game,” Lamont said. “It makes no sense to walk off the field now.”

With input from CNN and Axios.