Trump kills two offshore wind farms by buying projects for nearly $1 billion

The Trump administration is spending nearly $1 billion to prevent the construction of two offshore wind farms along the East Coast, marking the latest creative step officials have taken to stop any wind projects from being completed under President Donald Trump. 

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the deal on Monday, saying the administration would pay the French energy company TotalEnergies $928 million to cancel the two projects’ federal water leases. 

“This agreement is yet another win for President Trump’s commitment to affordable and reliable energy for all Americans,” Burgum said. “Offshore wind is one of the most expensive, unreliable, environmentally disruptive, and subsidy-dependent schemes ever forced on American ratepayers and taxpayers. We welcome TotalEnergies’ commitment to developing projects that produce dependable, affordable power to lower Americans’ monthly bills while providing secure U.S. baseload power today—and in the future.”  

The announcement came at the start of CERAWeek By S&P Global, an annual conference in Houston, Texas,