PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump urged the British government to abandon wind energy in favor of North Sea oil drilling.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Starmer’s Labour Party government.
📍 Where & When: President Trump posted his comments to Truth Social on Friday.
💬 Key Quote: “I strongly recommend to them… that in order to get their Energy Costs down, they stop with the costly and unsightly windmills, and incentivize modernized drilling in the North Sea, where large amounts of oil lay waiting to be taken,” Trump wrote.
⚠️ Impact: The British government could be persuaded to loosen its regulations strangling the traditional energy sector.
IN FULL:
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has called on the United Kingdom and the Labour Party government under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to prioritize oil drilling in the North Sea over wind energy, which he described as “costly and unsightly.” Trump suggested that such a move could drastically reduce British energy costs and proposed Aberdeen, Scotland, as a central hub for operations.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Our negotiated deal with the United Kingdom is working out well for all. I strongly recommend to them, however, that in order to get their energy costs down, they stop with the costly and unsightly windmills, and incentivise modernised drilling in the North Sea, where large amounts of oil lay waiting to be taken. A century of drilling left, with Aberdeen as the hub.”
Additionally, President Trump criticized Britain’s current tax system, arguing it disincentivizes oil drilling. He argued that changes to these policies would lead to rapid reductions in energy costs. Trump’s recent trade deal with the United Kingdom eased tariffs on British cars and steel, which could be made more cheaply if energy prices were reduced, while expanding access for American agricultural products in Britain.
Trump, who owns Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has long been a vocal critic of wind turbines, particularly in areas near his properties, believing they are a blight on natural landscapes.