The Trump administration will appeal federal court rulings that issued preliminary injunctions against the government’s 22 December 2025 stop-work orders for offshore wind projects already under construction, according to reporting and public remarks by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
In a Bloomberg interview, Burgum said the Department of the Interior (DOI) intends to challenge the injunctions and indicated the cases could evolve once the government presents classified material in a closed court setting.
The DOI has argued the construction pause was driven by national security concerns, citing potential interference with radar and sonar systems. Burgum also referenced autonomous technologies—such as drones and unmanned underwater vehicles—as part of the offshore wind ecosystem that he said could increase vulnerabilities in the US defence posture.
Five projects were affected by the suspension: Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Commercial, Empire Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Vineyard Wind 1. Courts have since granted preliminary injunctions across the five matters, allowing work to proceed while the underlying lawsuits continue.
Sunrise Wind received its injunction on 2 February 2026 from the US District Court for the District of Columbia, completing the set of court orders that reopened construction pathways for the projects. Developers have described the portfolio as being at varied stages of completion, with Vineyard Wind 1 and Revolution Wind among the most advanced, while other sites have resumed offshore activity shortly after receiving court relief.
The appeals now set up a higher-court test of whether the government can reinstate the stop-work measures during litigation, and how judges weigh national security claims against project timelines, grid delivery plans, and contractual obligations.
Notes: Source: Bloomberg Television interview (Doug Burgum); Source: US District Court orders and case reporting; Source: industry reporting (OffshoreWIND.biz, WorkBoat); Source: Reuters (Vineyard Wind injunction reporting); Source: public reporting on CVOW litigation and injunction (AP, regional outlets); Source: developer/utility statements where available.
