Donald Trump has criticized the UK’s plan to shift away from North Sea oil and gas production, calling it a “very big mistake” and urging the country to “open up the North Sea” and “get rid of windmills” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The remarks represent the latest critique of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government from the incoming US administration.
Trump’s comments appear to reference a November article highlighting APA Corporation’s decision to exit North Sea operations by 2029, citing high taxes and environmental regulations as factors rendering them uneconomic. APA, which owns US oil producer Apache, had already ceased drilling in the North Sea in June 2023, predating Labour’s victory in July last year.
Trump’s statements put him at odds with Starmer’s commitment to phasing out fossil fuels, a central tenet of Labour’s agenda. His intervention signals a continuation of his previous approach to weighing in on the domestic policies of other nations, raising concerns about potential tensions in US-UK relations under his leadership. The post follows a series of critiques of Starmer’s government by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was recently appointed by Trump to co-lead a waste-cutting initiative in the US.
Musk’s social media activity has similarly highlighted his alignment with pro-fossil fuel stances and opposition to net zero policies, further complicating the diplomatic landscape between the two nations.
Starmer has sought to establish strong ties with the incoming US administration by appointing Lord Peter Mandelson as the new ambassador to Washington and fostering engagement between Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Trump’s inner circle.
However, the Conservative Party’s growing alignment with Trump’s pro-oil stance, led by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, may add further pressure. Badenoch, who has described herself as a “net zero sceptic,” recently met with Vice President-elect JD Vance, while Musk has publicly supported Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which advocates for scrapping the UK’s net zero emissions targets.
Trump’s plans to boost US oil and gas production, along with his intention to dismantle President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act focused on green energy subsidies, reflect a broader divergence from international climate commitments. His campaign has indicated that he may once again withdraw the US from the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a move he executed during his first term but which was reversed under Biden.
Starmer’s government remains committed to renewable energy expansion, focusing on wind and solar power to achieve decarbonisation of the electricity grid by 2030, with the ultimate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Labour has pledged to halt new North Sea oil and gas exploration licenses and raised tax rates on producers, despite concerns from critics who argue that domestic oil and gas will still play a role in the UK’s energy mix for decades to come.
While Downing Street declined to comment directly on Trump’s remarks, officials reiterated the government’s long-standing position on climate action and the transition to renewable energy.
