Trump renews criticism of UK, saying it should ‘drill, baby, drill’ for North Sea oil

U.S.

President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of Britain's energy policy, deriding the ruling center-left Labour government's decision to ban licenses for new oil and gas fields in the North Sea."Europe is desperate for Energy, and yet the United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil, one of the greatest fields in the World. Tragic!!!" Trump said Tuesday in a Truth Social post."Aberdeen should be booming. Norway sells its North Sea Oil to the U.K. at double the price. They are making a fortune," Trump said. "U.K., which is better situated on the North Sea for purposes of energy than Norway, should, DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! It is absolutely crazy that they don't… AND, NO MORE WINDMILLS!" he added. His comments come amid ongoing uncertainty over crude supply from the oil-rich Middle East as the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. Oil and gas prices have surged since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began in late February, delivering what the International Energy Agency has described as the "most severe oil supply shock in history." The energy shock is expected to hit the U.K. the hardest of all the world's advanced economies, according to the International Monetary Fund. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF cut its estimate for U.K. growth to just 0.8% this year, down from a projection of 1.3% before the hostilities began. Trump's criticism of Britain's energy policy follows a series of personal attacks against U.K.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer in recent weeks.The U.S. president has previously called the North Sea a "treasure chest" for oil and gas and told the U.K. government last year to "drill, baby, drill" to cut energy bills.A spokesperson for the U.K.'s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the government has been taking action to tackle the cost of living, including taking £117 ($158.74) off average energy bills this month, and supporting de-escalation in the Middle East."The lesson of yet another fossil fuel crisis is the UK needs to get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and onto clean homegrown power we control," they told CNBC via email.U.K.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has previously said the Iran war reinforced the need for Britain to accelerate its shift toward clean power so that the country "can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don't control." Some of Britain's right-leaning opposition parties, notably Reform and the Conservatives, have called for the granting of new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea as a way to cut fuel bills. Meanwhile, Unite, the U.K.'s leading union, which represents thousands of North Sea oil and gas workers, has called on the government to urgently increase North Sea production. It made the plea after the industry body Offshore Energies UK warned the U.K. needed to improve its national energy security by increasing its domestic supply of natural gas.Energy experts have questioned, however, whether new North Sea oil and gas licenses can help to shore up domestic energy security."The North Sea is a mature oil and gas basin in long-term decline, and that is a geological reality that no political slogan can change," said Laura Anderson, senior associate at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Her comments came in response to proposals put forward by Reform earlier this month to maximize North Sea oil and gas production."Even with new licences, overall production will continue to fall, meaning any strategy built on doubling down on oil and gas risks chasing a shrinking resource rather than planning for the future," Anderson said.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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