Energy Secretary Chris Wright escalated his criticism of the wind sector, claiming the industry could only survive off of subsidies and insisting that no projects have been canceled — only suspended — as the administration’s investigations continue. 

“Thirty-three years we’ve subsidized wind and solar power in the United States,” Wright said at a press briefing in New York City. “That’s enough. If you can’t walk on your own after 33 years, maybe that’s not a business that’s going places.”

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“No offshore wind farms have been canceled,” Wright added. “They’ve been suspended from work while we’re investigating numerous complaints and lawsuits about what they’ve had on the right whale population, the fishery population. There was massive opposition to those projects.” 

The secretary said that wind energy is not reliable during periods of peak demand. He said if an energy source is going to be helpful on the electricity grid, “you have to be there 24/7, and you particularly have to be there at peak demand times.” 

The administration has placed stop-work orders for several fully permitted wind energy projects. Wright said that Democratic administrations have taken similar actions, citing the Keystone XL Pipeline project. 

Wright’s comments come as a federal judge on Monday lifted the Department of the Interior’s stop-work order for a major offshore wind project off of Rhode Island. The stop-work order created a nearly monthlong pause in the construction of the Revolution Wind project, which was estimated to be approximately 80% complete. 

The Interior Department has targeted four other offshore wind projects that are under construction. Trump previously issued a stop-work order for the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York, but it was lifted after a deal was reached between New York and the administration to approve two gas pipelines in the state.

The three other wind farms under construction are Vineyard Wind off the coast of Massachusetts, Sunrise Wind off the coast of New York, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind in Virginia. 

FEDERAL JUDGE LIFTS TRUMP STOP-WORK ORDER ON RHODE ISLAND OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT

Wright was in New York as global leaders met at the United Nations General Assembly. The city was also hosting Climate Week. 

President Donald Trump spoke at the General Assembly on Tuesday for the first time in person since 2019, where he criticized initiatives aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and promoting renewable energy. 

“All green is all bankrupt,” Trump said, calling climate change the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.”