US President Donald Trump attends the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday (local time), posing for a photo with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. [AP]
US President Donald Trump attends the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday (local time), posing for a photo with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. [AP]

US President Donald Trump publicly expressed his hopes for North Sea oil development on Sunday (local time), ahead of the formal inauguration of Andy Burnham, the Labour Party leader confirmed as Britain's next prime minister.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that "the people of Aberdeen, Scotland are dancing in the streets because Andy Burnham, the new Prime Minister of Great Britain, has announced that he will fully open up the North Sea Oil Fields, which are of tremendous value." Aberdeen is widely regarded as the hub of North Sea oil development.

"The North Sea is one of the finest producers of oil on earth, with hundreds of years of supply remaining, plus much that has not yet been found," Trump said. "This will lift Great Britain out of its poverty-stricken, disaster-ridden state, and make it one of the wealthiest nations in the World."

He then criticized Britain's current energy arrangements, saying the country "pays billions of dollars a year to buy Norwegian oil, which comes from a less valuable part of the North Sea. How ridiculous is that?"

Trump added that "Great Britain has tremendous potential, but it all starts with opening up the North Sea Oil Fields again."

Trump also claimed that "rumor has it that Great Britain will be moving the old and ugly windmills that look down on the City of Aberdeen, ruining its beauty," saying it "will be an important day for that Country, and everyone will be thankful."

Trump effectively staked out a position on behalf of Britain's incoming government — before it has even taken office — declaring that it will scale back renewable energy and move forward with North Sea oil development.

The outgoing center-left Labour government had focused on renewable energy and declined to approve new North Sea oil development projects, a stance Trump has openly criticized.

Burnham himself had previously said he would honor the party's 2024 campaign pledge not to issue new approvals for North Sea oil production.

However, British media reported that Burnham is reviewing the possibility of approving new North Sea production and has an "open-minded" approach to North Sea development projects. The German news agency DPA also relayed the same assessment.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com