The United States has reached a $1.2 billion agreement with the German energy firm RWE to halt its offshore wind projects in the U.S. This deal is the latest in a series of actions taken by the administration to terminate offshore wind development, a power source frequently criticized by President Trump. RWE has agreed to relinquish leases off the coasts of California, Louisiana, and New York.
In exchange for terminating these projects, RWE plans to invest approximately €17 billion (about $19.6 billion) in the U.S. over the next six years to expand its generation capacity. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the agreement and RWE's voluntary investment would strengthen the nation's energy security, emphasizing a move towards an energy system based on common sense and less reliance on costly subsidies.
This agreement follows a pattern established earlier in the year. In March 2026, a similar deal was made with French company TotalEnergies, which ended its U.S. offshore wind projects. TotalEnergies agreed to reroute its investment towards building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Texas and developing conventional oil extraction in the Gulf of Mexico.
Last month, the administration finalized a $129 billion agreement with Duke Energy, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. This pact involved the termination of the company's offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area. These actions reflect a broader strategy by the administration to prioritize fossil fuel development. President Trump, a vocal proponent of the fossil fuel industry, campaigned on a platform that included increasing support for oil and gas extraction, famously using the slogan "drill, baby, drill." Shortly after returning to office, he expressed a sentiment that offshore wind projects would not proceed, referring to windmills as "big, ugly windmills" that posed a danger to wildlife.