The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has lashed out at the United Kingdom for the installation of wind turbines in the North Sea and called for the opening of its oil and gas reserves In a message posted Friday on his social network Truth Social, Trump called the British energy policy a “big mistake” and called for the elimination of wind energy in the area: “Open up the North Sea. Get rid of the windmills!” the president-elect exclaimed.
Energy context and international tensions
Trump’s comment follows a statement issued in November by US oil company Apache, which announced its withdrawal from the North Sea by 2029 due to the increase in the British levy on energy company windfall profits, which will rise from 35% to 38% and will be extended for another year. London justified the move as part of its efforts to fund the energy transition and ease the cost of living crisis. The North Sea, traditionally a major oil and gas extraction basin, has experienced a decline in production since the early 2000s. At the same time, the region has become one of the main locations for offshore wind energy development, which has led to tensions between the traditional and renewable industries.
A historical confrontation with wind energy
This is not the first time Trump has shown his opposition to wind turbines in the UK. In 2015, during his first presidential term, he tried unsuccessfully to prevent the installation of windmills near one of his golf courses in Scotland, arguing that they affected the landscape environment. Next January 20, Trump will assume his second presidential term, marking the beginning of a new stage in bilateral relations between the United States and the United Kingdom.
