Photo by Julia Oberhauser

Europe’s largest offshore wind developer, Ørsted, has launched a legal challenge against the Trump administration following its decision to suspend work on a $5bn project on the north-east US coast. The move follows a sweeping order by the Department of the Interior on 22 December to halt construction on five large offshore wind projects, citing unspecified “national security risks.”

The legal action, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, targets the suspension of the Revolution Wind site. According to the original Guardian article, Ørsted and its partner, Skyborn Renewables, described the government’s move as a “violation of applicable law.”

The companies are seeking an emergency injunction to allow work to continue. In the official statement provided to the court and media, Ørsted noted that:

“As was the case with the August 2025 stop-work order, the Revolution Wind Project … faces substantial harm from a continuation of the lease suspension order. As a result, litigation is a necessary step to protect the rights of the Project.”

The company further emphasized that “Revolution Wind has spent and committed billions of dollars in reliance upon, and has met the requests of, a thorough review process.”

The administration’s decision has faced sharp criticism from lawmakers and industry experts. As reported by Reuters via Offshore Engineer, the Department of the Interior has suggested the suspension is necessary because the Pentagon believes large turbine blades and reflective towers cause “radar interference” that complicates identifying security threats.

The Revolution Wind project is currently 87% complete, with 58 of its 65 turbines already installed. It was originally expected to begin generating power as early as January 2026.