President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on the UK Government’s energy policy, branding its refusal to expand North Sea oil and gas production as “crazy” and urging ministers to reverse course.
In a series of remarks, the US president called on Labour to “drill, baby drill”, criticising the decision to curb new exploration at a time when global energy demand remains high following the crisis linked to conflict in the Middle East.
His comments pile further pressure on Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, whose stance on restricting new North Sea licences has drawn growing criticism from both industry and political opponents.
Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “The United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil, one of the greatest fields in the World. Tragic!!!
“Aberdeen should be booming. Norway sells its North Sea Oil to the UK at double the price. They are making a fortune. The UK, which is better situated on the North Sea for energy purposes than Norway, should DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!
“It is absolutely crazy that they don’t… AND, NO MORE WINDMILLS! President DJT.”
The intervention reflects Mr Trump’s longstanding opposition to the UK’s net zero strategy, particularly its reliance on wind power. He has repeatedly argued that current policies are driving up energy costs and discouraging domestic production.
In January 2025, he wrote: “The UK is making a very big mistake. Open up the North Sea. Get rid of Windmills!”
He followed this in May, claiming: “the [UK’s] old fashioned tax system disincentivises [sic] drilling, rather than the opposite. UK’s energy costs would go way down, and fast!”
Mr Trump has suggested that UK output could rival Norway’s if drilling were expanded, although geological evidence does not support this claim.
Labour has so far resisted calls to change course. Mr Miliband has argued that increasing North Sea drilling would not significantly reduce household energy bills or deliver substantial new supplies, a position that critics say ignores the UK’s growing dependence on imported energy.
The row comes at a difficult moment for the Government, as concerns mount over energy security and rising costs. Critics argue that Labour’s approach risks leaving Britain more exposed to volatile international markets, while simultaneously discouraging investment in domestic production.
The pressure has intensified following the decision by Apache Corporation, a Texas-based producer, to withdraw from the North Sea. The company has said it will exit by 2029, with the move driven in part by higher windfall taxes on fossil fuel producers.
The development has raised fresh questions about whether current policies are accelerating the decline of the UK’s oil and gas sector, at a time when energy security has become a central economic and political concern.
With international criticism mounting and industry confidence wavering, Labour faces increasing scrutiny over whether its energy strategy is leaving the country at a disadvantage when compared with major producers such as Norway.
