The US Commerce Department has opened a national security probe into wind turbine imports, echoing Trump’s criticisms of foreign dependence in the renewable energy sector.
Washington, D.C — The US Commerce Department has launched a national security investigation into imports of wind turbines and their components, escalating tensions over renewable energy policy following repeated criticisms from former President Donald Trump.
The probe, announced Thursday by the department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, comes after the White House extended 50 percent steel and aluminum tariffs this week to cover wind turbines and their parts.
Officials say the inquiry could result in additional tariffs, quotas, or other trade restrictions if foreign imports are deemed to undermine US national security.
The investigation, which began on August 13, will examine US reliance on foreign supply chains and the risk that rival nations could “weaponize their control over supplies of wind turbines and their parts” through export restrictions. Public comments have been invited on issues ranging from foreign government subsidies to predatory trade practices and the concentration of imports from a small number of suppliers.
The move aligns with Trump’s broader skepticism of renewable energy. He has repeatedly denounced wind power as “ugly,” unreliable, and costly, and accused states that rely on wind and solar of experiencing “record-breaking increases in electricity costs.”
“Any state that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power is seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Wednesday, calling renewable energy “the scam of the century.”
During his administration, Trump rolled back federal support for renewable energy by seeking to repeal tax credits for wind and solar, tightening restrictions on federal leases, and rescinding offshore wind project designations.
The probe also comes amid growing global scrutiny of Chinese renewable energy dominance. China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, has invested heavily in wind and solar projects, building nearly twice as much renewable capacity as the rest of the world combined, according to research published last year.
Meanwhile, the European Union has launched its own investigations into Chinese wind turbine suppliers. The outcome of the US inquiry could further reshape trade relations and impact the renewable energy sector at a time when the global transition to cleaner power sources remains a pressing priority.
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