A U.S. federal court struck down an executive order by President Trump aimed at freezing new wind energy developments across the country, agreeing with a coalition of 18 State Attorneys General that the administration’s order was “arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.”

The ruling follows a Presidential Memorandum signed by Trump on his first day in office, indefinitely halting all federal approvals for wind energy projects. The order has had a significant impact on the renewable energy sector in the U.S., with all federal permitting and approval activities stopped since the issuance of the directive.

In May 2025, a group of 18 Attorneys General, led by New York AG Letitia James, filed the suit, describing the Trump administration’s moves to block wind energy development as “arbitrary and capricious” and outside of the President’s legal authority, and arguing that halting wind energy development will harm the states’ ability to provide “reliable, diversified, and affordable sources of energy” to their residents, and to meet their responsibilities to meet growing demand for electricity while mitigating climate harms and pollution caused by fossil fuels.

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Patti Saris agreed with the AG’s argument that the President’s directive was issued without reasoned explanation for the halt, and that the government has not offered justification for changing “longstanding federal policy supporting the development of wind energy.”

Saris’ ruling said:

“…given that the Wind Order constitutes a change of course from decades of agencies’ issuing (or denying) permits related to wind energy projects, the Agency Defendants were required, at minimum, to “provide a reasoned explanation for the change” and to “display awareness that [they were] changing position.”… They failed to do so. Instead, they implemented the Wind Order on Inauguration Day without elucidating the “reasons for the new policy.”

The judge also rejected the administration’s argument that the President’s order should not be subject to judicial review as it was a “temporary” pause, with the ruling noting that after 10 months in place, and with no end date in site, the order could be treated as final.

The ruling concluded that the “Wind Order is declared unlawful… and is VACATED in its entirety.”

In a statement released following the ruling, New York Attorney General Letitia James said:

“As New Yorkers face rising energy costs, we need more energy sources, not fewer. Wind energy is good for our environment, our economy, and our communities. I am grateful the court stepped in to block the administration’s reckless and unlawful crusade against clean energy.”