Ross, other Dems accuse Trump of bribery in offshore wind buyouts

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross is demanding answers from the Trump administration about nearly $2 billion in payouts that ended offshore wind projects in North Carolina and elsewhere, according to a letter released Thursday. 

Ross, representing North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District since 2021, joined U.S. Reps. Salud Carbajal, Jimmy Panetta and Bobby Scott to call out what they said were the administration’s efforts to bribe companies to exit the offshore wind energy market. 

The administration agreed to pay French company TotalEnergies nearly $1 billion after it relinquished its leases for two offshore wind projects, including Carolina Long Bay, located approximately 22 miles south of Bald Head Island. 

A similar exchange occurred with Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind, with the administration offering nearly $900 million in lease reimbursements for fossil fuel investments, according to the letter. 

“The decision to pay off energy companies with taxpayer dollars to cancel projects that would have created high-paying jobs, strengthened American energy independence, and lowered costs for families is especially alarming at a time when your administration’s war with Iran is destabilizing energy markets and fueling rampant inflation,” the letter reads.

In the letter, directed to President Donald Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche and the inspector general of the Department of the Interior, the lawmakers accused the administration of favoritism towards the fossil fuel industry and potentially violating federal law. 

“The use of congressionally appropriated funds,” the letter reads, “to pay private companies to cancel clean energy projects on the condition that they invest in fossil fuel ventures appears to be quid pro quo.”

NC environmentalists lament decision to scrap offshore wind farm

“You have furnished these reimbursements through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Judgment Fund, which was created to pay valid judgement and settlements where the United States is the defendant. The details of these agreements make clear that your payment structure does not meet the statutory requirements governing use of the Judgment Fund,” the letter continues.

Lawmakers demanded records related to the deal and asked if President Donald Trump personally took part in discussions with leaseholders who canceled offshore wind projects to redirect capital into fossil fuel. They also asked about communication with fossil fuel executives. 

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers denied claims of bribery in a statement to NC Newsline.

“The Trump Administration simply refunded TotalEnergies the money they paid to the federal government – not taxpayer dollars – so that they could redirect their capital from expensive, unreliable offshore wind leases toward affordable, reliable natural gas projects,” Rogers wrote in an email. “Considering the national security risks posed by offshore wind farms to the United States, TotalEnergies asked to renounce their offshore wind leases and reinvest their own capital in secure LNG infrastructure.”

In the past, Trump and members of his administration have derided renewable energy projects like offshore wind, calling it the “Green New Scam.”

TotalEnergies did not respond to NC Newsline’s request for comment.

Other Democratic members of Congress, like U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee of North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, signed onto the letter as well.