The US Department of the Interior has immediately paused all large-scale offshore wind project leases under construction due to national security risks identified in classified reports by the Department of War.

The pause allows the Department, alongside the Department of War and other agencies, to work with leaseholders and states to assess and mitigate these risks.

The affected projects include Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, CVOW – Commercial, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1.

Unclassified US government reports have long noted that large turbine blades and reflective towers create radar "clutter," obscuring legitimate targets and generating false readings.

A 2024 Department of Energy report highlighted that increasing radar thresholds can reduce clutter but risks missing actual targets.

The Interior Department emphasises that this action ensures national security concerns are addressed while maintaining the government’s ability to defend the American people effectively.

"The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people," said Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior. "Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centres. The Trump administration will always prioritise the security of the American people," he said.