The Trump administration is citing national security concerns for shutting down 165 wind farms

Wind farms can generate 30 gigawatts, enough to power 15 million homes.

Letters sent to builders in early April said the agency is reviewing how its operations affect national security.

The move represents a major escalation in regulators’ efforts to shut down wind power in the US, reaching development targets in both the private and public sectors.

President Donald Trump has a particular hatred for wind farms. He has called them “an evil force” and said “the purpose is not to allow wind turbines to be built.”

Since his second term, the Trump administration has repeatedly tried to shut down operations at several offshore wind farms in areas managed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, citing national security concerns, as well as other renewable projects on federal lands. Some of these actions have been blocked in federal courts.

“This is unprecedented,” said Jason Grumet, ACP CEO. “The fact that the management is telling the owners that they are not allowed to carry out economic activities and make a profit from their assets is difficult to reconcile with the principles of law enforcement.”

Regulators have recently begun paying off offshore wind leases in exchange for oil production, such as a $1 billion deal with TotalEnergies in March.

“The Trump administration’s attempts to block wind projects continue in court, and they are reaching dangerous and unwise measures,” said Kit Kennedy, executive director at NRDC.

The DoD did not respond to a request for comment.

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