Whitehouse calls the renewed security rationale a pretext
Sheldon WhitehouseU.S. senator from Rhode Island and ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
In prepared Senate remarks, Whitehouse criticized the August and December construction stops and disputed the administration's security rationale.
Responding to
Sheldon Whitehouse characterized the national-security rationale for the December offshore-wind stop-work orders as a pretext.
“The new pretext was national security risks that had supposedly emerged in the previous thirty days.”
Official statement
Other statements by Sheldon Whitehouse in this case
- Whitehouse calls the second Revolution Wind halt vindictive harassmentEarlier: Condemned
Where this statement fits
Was the federal government justified in halting Revolution Wind construction?
Federal officials halted construction of Revolution Wind off Rhode Island in August and December 2025, citing national-security concerns. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the December pause, while Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse criticized the interruptions. A federal judge granted preliminary injunctions against both orders. In September 2026, Connecticut announced installation of the project's final turbine.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Whitehouse's prepared remarks criticized both Revolution Wind halts, disputed the national-security justification and explained his pause in permitting-reform negotiations.
Before the quotation
Whitehouse reviewed the two Revolution Wind stops while discussing trust in the administration's permitting decisions.
After the quotation
He explained that he and Senator Martin Heinrich had paused permitting-reform negotiations, while saying he still wanted bipartisan reform.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Whitehouse denounces the stop-work orders as unjustified attacks and disputes their stated rationale, so the statement condemns the action.
- Recorded on
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- People and groups discussed
- Doug Burgum
More from this case
Read the full caseSinding Daly says the December offshore-wind pause threatened affordability
“Blocking clean energy projects limits our energy options and makes electricity unaffordable”Read statement
Ted Kelly criticized the federal offshore-wind stop orders, including Revolution Wind's, arguing that the region needed additional electricity supply
“it makes no sense”Read statement
Murphy calls the security rationale empty as construction can resume
“After shutting down wind farm construction because of a so-called threat to national security, the Trump administration denied my office a briefing to avoid exposing their ridiculous, empty claim.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Whitehouse calls the renewed security rationale a pretext". First published: 2026-09-20. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1232-in-prepared-senate-remarks-whitehouse-criticized-the-august