Trump's disdain for wind projects creates a political storm for Republicans in coastal Virginia
Source: Courthouse News Service/AP
April 25, 2026
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — When President Donald Trump tried to cancel five massive offshore wind projects under construction along the East Coast, it wasn’t just environmentalists who cried foul. Nine Republicans in the U.S. House sent a letter to administration officials demanding an explanation. “America’s energy policy should be grounded in facts, fiscal responsibility, and the national interest — not ideology or politics,″ they wrote.
One of the lawmakers is Rep. Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot who represents a coastal district in Virginia where an $11.5 billion wind farm is expected to create 1,000 jobs. Her support for an initiative targeted by Trump shows the scrambled politics of clean energy in an election year where Republicans are at risk of losing the House. Kiggans could be even more at risk after Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a new congressional map that makes her competitive district more Democratic than before.
Trump’s broader campaign against clean energy resulted in the cancellation of nearly $35 billion in U.S. projects last year, according to a report by E2, a clean energy business group. Republican-held congressional districts lost nearly twice as much in investments than did Democratic districts, the report said.
For now, the Virginia project is back on track, along with the other four, because of federal court rulings. But Elaine Luria, a former congresswoman who is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District represented by Kiggans, said the incumbent’s efforts have been futile in the face of Trump’s onslaught. “Her advocacy did nothing," Luria said. Kiggans did not respond to requests for comment.
Read more: https://www.courthousenews.com/trumps-disdain-for-wind-projects-creates-a-political-storm-for-republicans-in-coastal-virginia/
Link to LETTER (PDF) - https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/kiggans.house.gov/uploads/2026/01/Final-Letter-on-Offshore-Wind-Pause-01-22-2026.pdf
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