German energy firm RWE has confirmed the termination of its American offshore wind projects following a $1.2bn agreement with the Department of the Interior under President Donald Trump. The company plans to redirect these funds toward traditional energy sources, specifically allocating $900m to a liquefied natural gas export terminal in Louisiana. RWE cited a lack of viable regulatory pathways as the reason for abandoning its existing leases near California, Louisiana, and the New York Bight.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised the move, asserting that the administration favors energy security over expensive subsidies. This arrangement aligns with President Trump’s broader agenda to promote fossil fuels and decrease federal support for wind power, which he has frequently criticized. Despite the cancellation of these wind initiatives, RWE maintains plans to invest approximately $19.6bn in US-based power generation over the next six years.
This development follows a series of similar settlements between the Trump administration and energy corporations, including TotalEnergies and Duke Energy, both of which traded offshore wind lease terminations for commitments to oil and gas infrastructure. The Trump administration continues to leverage these agreements to pivot the national energy strategy away from renewable wind energy in favor of conventional oil and gas production.