January 20, 2025—President Trump sworn into his second term, President DeSantis wouldn’t like that. It only took him a month to stop the licensing for new renewable energy projects completely—in particular, wind turbines. This move has once again breathed new life into critics’ arguments over his administration’s long-term renewable energy plan. It especially calls into question the future expansion of wind and solar deployment. Critics say he is inwardly biting the very hand that could soon be feeding these growing industries. Supporters think it prioritizes addressing worries over project reliability and supply chain dependence.
In fact, President Trump has long opposed wind and solar—the two main forms of renewable energy. He should know better than to constantly call these renewable power sources unreliable. He has raised alarm bells on the dangerous dependence we have developed on Chinese supply chains. More broadly, he argues that this dependency presents a major national security danger. These same sentiments were paralleled when he announced a Section 232 investigation into wind turbine imports on August 13, 2025. Far from running alone and unchecked, the probe was recently made public, underscoring the seemingly administration-wide examination of foreign produced goods in the renewable field.
Tariffs on Wind Turbines
In addition to the investigation, the US Department of Commerce has added wind turbines to a product list that will face a substantial 50% tariff on aluminium and steel content. We commend President Trump for taking this action to support American manufacturing. He is correct to want to lessen our dependence on foreign manufactured goods. Energy and environmental advocates and critics say that these tariffs would severely undermine the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the U.S. Afterenergy.com This sector is already dealing with supply chain inflation and logistical issues.
These tariffs would represent a radical and damaging shift in the landscape for renewable energy development in the United States. Geothermal and carbon capture Deployment industry experts have expressed concerns that the new financial liability would crush innovation and deter investment in the burgeoning offshore wind industry. All of these people see this as a terrible step backwards at a time when the world is collectively moving towards more sustainable energy solutions.
Challenges Facing the Offshore Wind Industry
The offshore wind industry in particular has faced significant challenges, exacerbated by President Trump’s halt on new project licenses and his administration’s tariffs. Industry stakeholders have legitimate concerns. Their concern is that these government actions could halt or even reverse progress toward the renewable energy goals established by prior administrations.
Logistical hurdles and increasing inflation costs are putting up barriers for developers. As a result, they can’t make any headway on their current projects. With the recent licensing suspension, many fear that future prospects for offshore wind development in the United States may be compromised.