New York Governor Kathy Hochul rallied union leaders on Long Island to defend thousands of jobs and the state’s clean energy future, following the Trump administration’s stop-work orders on two fully permitted offshore wind projects under construction.

“We’ve invested years and billions of dollars in these projects. We’re about to see the benefits of clean energy by 2027, and we will not let anyone stop us,” Hochul said during the event in Suffolk County. She emphasized that these projects are critical to keeping the lights on and preventing brownouts or blackouts across Long Island and the state.

Hochul highlighted the power of coalition-building among unions, businesses, and environmental groups to advance New York’s energy transition. “There are elected officials here on Long Island who need to feel the pressure. This is not the future you train for, the future you’ve worked hard for, or the future we want to leave for our children,” she said.

The governor criticized the federal justification for the stop-work orders, calling the national security argument “pretext” and stressing that companies are meeting all requirements to address radar concerns. “They’re just making up excuses to help their oil and gas benefactors,” Hochul said. “We’re not putting up with that in New York. We have the right to chart our energy future and independence without being stopped by a hostile government in Washington.”

Hochul also invoked her personal connection to labor, noting her family background in steelworking and longshore work, and praised union members for the dangerous work they carry out year-round. She urged the public to mobilize, put pressure on elected officials, and support the continuation of offshore wind construction: “You’re not just fighting for the jobs of today—you’re fighting for the jobs of tomorrow and a clean future for our children.”

The event included remarks from local labor leaders, including Matty Aracich, President of the Nassau Suffolk Building and Construction Trades, who echoed the governor’s call to defend Long Island’s workforce and economy.