The Trump administration has intensified efforts to challenge offshore wind energy projects by seeking a federal court review of a key permit for a wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island. The US Justice Department filed a motion on Friday requesting that the Interior Department’s approval of the construction and operations plan for Orsted AS’s Revolution Wind project be remanded for further evaluation. This project began producing electricity in March 2025.

According to court filings, the Interior Department concurs that a reevaluation is justified to ensure compliance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Denmark-based Orsted declined to comment on the development, while the Interior Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Since President Trump took office in January 2025, his administration has launched a broad campaign aimed at limiting offshore wind installations. Actions taken have included stop-work orders, suspension of leases, revocation of permits, and offering nearly $4 billion in buyout settlements to dismantle planned or ongoing projects. These measures have disrupted the progression of renewable energy developments along the US coastline.

The Justice Department’s challenge to the Revolution Wind permit complicates recent bipartisan efforts in the Senate to streamline and reform the approval process for infrastructure projects, including renewable energy installations. That deal, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, contained commitments to allow fully permitted wind and solar projects to proceed without obstruction. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, a leading Democrat in the negotiations, played a central role in the agreement.

While some wind farm developers have successfully resumed work following favorable court rulings, ongoing regulatory uncertainty has led several major international companies to halt or withdraw from US offshore wind initiatives. As of August 2025, Revolution Wind was reported to be more than 95 percent complete, with 61 out of 65 turbines installed, according to industry data.

Revolution Wind is a joint venture between Denmark’s Orsted and Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables. The Trump administration had previously attempted to block construction on this project, which represents one of the largest offshore wind farms in the United States.