Windmill-obsessed Donald Trump labels UK's fossil fuel policy a 'very big mistake'
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Donald Trump has labelled the UK's fossil fuel policy a "very big mistake", warning the Government they need to "get rid of windmills". Instead, the president-elect urged for an increase in oil production in the North Sea. Writing on his social media platform Truth Social today, Trump shared an article from November detailing a major US oil producer's decision to exit the North Sea by 2029. "The UK is making a very big mistake. Open up the North Sea. Get rid of windmills!" he blasted.
The oil company referenced by Trump, Texas-based Apache, announced in November that it would withdraw from the North Sea due to the UK's windfall tax on energy producers. The tax increase, designed to help offset soaring household energy bills, raised the levy on oil and gas profits to 38 per cent in October's budget.
John Christmann, CEO of APA Corporation, Apache's parent company, explained that the tax hike, combined with regulatory demands, made continued operations in the North Sea uneconomical beyond 2029. "The onerous financial impact of the EPL, combined with the substantial investment that will be necessary to comply with regulatory requirements, makes production of hydrocarbons beyond 2029 uneconomic," an Apache spokesperson said at the time, adding that "substantial investment" would be needed to meet regulatory requirements.
Trump's comments align with his "drill, baby, drill" campaign slogan, which he used during his successful bid for a second term. He has promised to increase US oil and gas production, arguing that energy independence is critical to economic and national security.
