President Donald Trump has urged Keir Starmer to drill for more North Sea oil as he suggested that the Prime Minister could begin expanding projects in the near term.
In a press conference at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s estate, Trump claimed that he had taken control of inflation in the US through his drive to “drill, baby, drill”.
He pushed Starmer to use North Sea oil reserves to lower energy costs and appeared to indicate that the UK could do so in the next few years.
“You have a great asset her, it’s called the North Sea,” Trump said. “It’s phenomenal.
“I want this country to do well. You have great assets you’re going to start using, I believe, under this Prime Minister.”
His comments will likely add pressure on Starmer to tackle energy bills in the UK amid Labour’s net zero drive and push to make the electricity system carbon-free by the end of parliament.
Starmer said he was “absolutely determined” to lower energy costs for households and businesses but he contradicted the US president on his view of renewables.
The Prime Minister said renewable energy would be part of the “mix” for the UK as he said the UK was drilling oil in the North Sea while Trump called wind energy an “expensive joke”.
In another awkward exchange for Starmer, Trump claimed he did “not know” Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as ambassador over historic links to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump claimed there were “very few disagreements” between himself and Starmer after slight tensions arose on their different positions regarding the UK’s expected recognition of a Palestinian state.
Starmer told to ‘drill, baby, drill’
Wind energy made up nearly a third of the UK’s total electricity generation in 2025, according to the National Energy System Operator.
But energy costs in the UK soar above that of major economies as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said they were four times higher than the US for industrial users.
Analysts have blamed varying causes for the UK’s uniquely high energy costs though several leading economists have blamed a high tax regime and lower production levels in the North Sea for higher prices.
The UK government has banned issuing new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.
Separately, Ed Miliband’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero could allow drilling projects by Equinor and Shell at Rosebank and Jackdaw respectively to go ahead.
It is not the first time that the US president has challenged Starmer on the North Sea.
When visiting his Turnberry golf course in Scotland in July, Trump hit out at taxes hitting energy giants’ profits.
In a post on Truth Social he claimed that oil in surrounding waters was a “treasure chest” and that companies had been discouraged from drilling in the North Sea.
Kemi Badenoch has also said the Tories would “maximise extraction” of oil and gas to lower energy prices.
Reform UK have meanwhile pledged to end net zero commitments and all related subsidies for the sector.