FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speak during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building, which is currently undergoing renovations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo

In an article for The Bulwark published Sunday, journalist Jonathan Cohn argued that President Donald Trump’s recent decisions, including halting work on a Rhode Island offshore wind project, contradict his own stated priorities: making America energy‑independent, lowering living costs, and helping working‑class Americans.

Cohn focused on Revolution Wind, a large-scale clean energy project that was about 80 percent complete when the administration issued a stop‑work order. The official reason was a need for a new national security review, but Cohn pointed out the administration has not explained what those concerns are or why prior reviews weren’t enough.

For workers such as those in Ironworkers Local 37, the order threatens jobs, investment in training, and higher utility bills. Cohn noted that this decision, and others like it, appear driven not by policy calculations but by Trump’s opposition to renewables, personal grievances, or political symbolism.

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He added: "The other self-destructive element of Trump’s economic policy is the way he’s cutting off investment in future growth. That includes his cuts to biomedical and STEM research. And it includes the way he’s treating clean energy too."

Cohn further argued that these kinds of policy moves have wider economic costs. He cited rising inflation, slumping consumer confidence, reduced employment, and the erosion of investment in clean energy, research, and industries of the future.

"It’s not just the agenda. It’s also the shambolic, vibes-based way he’s pursuing it," the article said of Trump.

The author highlighted tariffs as raising prices for goods, and noted that many clean energy and manufacturing projects, even in Republican‑leaning states, are being cancelled or postponed.

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Cohn warned that by undermining investment in renewables and science, the administration is damaging long‑term growth, weakening national security, and counteracting claims of helping working Americans.

Jason Furman, a Harvard economist, told The Bulwark: “The economy has more than a whiff of stagflation but there’s no reason to believe it will necessarily be very severe,” noting that while things look concerning, the severity is not inevitable.

He added: “But anything could happen with so much uncertainty not just about economic policy but also about our ability to measure the economy at a very high frequency.”