US President Comments on Andy Burnham and UK’s Energy Policies

Donald Trump shares his thoughts on Andy Burnham's potential leadership and the UK's approach to oil exploration and defense spending.

The US president criticized Andy Burnham and the UK’s energy policy during a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte, renewing calls to open the North Sea for oil drilling as the UK selects a new Prime Minister ahead of a summit in Turkey.

He linked London’s approach to energy and defense to recent tensions over the Iran conflict. Last update: 25 June 2026.

The remarks mattered because they combined pressure on UK oil and gas policy with renewed scrutiny of NATO burden-sharing, as the alliance prepares for high-level talks.

With Burnham described by the US president as “extremely liberal,” the intervention sharpened debate over whether the next UK leader would expand North Sea exploration or hold to existing curbs amid climate commitments and economic headwinds.

Trump’s remarks and energy policy dispute

The president said he had advised UK leaders to expand drilling. “I gave Keir Starmer some pretty good advice. I said open up the North Sea, go to Aberdeen, which was the hottest city of the whole continent,” he said, arguing the basin holds untapped potential. He added: “The North Sea is loaded. I have had every oil company come to see me, ‘Sir, could you give us access to the UK? We would do anything to drill in the North Sea’.” He contrasted UK policy with Norway’s approach, stating: “Norway’s got now two trillion dollars in the bank, and the UK is dying, so they should open up the North Sea, and it’s an easy one.”

He characterized Burnham as “extremely liberal,” asserting that such a stance would make new North Sea approvals unlikely. The comments followed earlier criticism of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for prioritizing wind power over new drilling. The president also expressed disappointment at what he viewed as UK decisions that limited new oil and gas exploration. The intervention came as the UK experienced record temperatures and broader economic pressures, intensifying debate on balancing energy security with climate goals.

NATO meeting and defense spending tensions

The exchange with Rutte occurred ahead of a crucial summit in Turkey, where allied spending and contributions remain on the agenda. The president reiterated long-standing complaints that the United States has bankrolled allied defense, pointing to limited European involvement in the Iran campaign and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said: “We didn’t need help on this at all. We demolished them (Iran) in literally the first week, but it would have been nice if they would have said ‘We’d like to help’.”

According to the discussion, Rutte sought to lower tensions by presenting progress on allied outlays, including visual summaries highlighting increased European defense budgets since earlier US pressure. Rutte responded: “I know there have been isolated cases about which you are really disappointed, but generally speaking your European allies have been there with you.” He also emphasized the strategic value of European bases as a platform for US operations, noting that recent missions would have been difficult without access to Europe as a power projection hub.

UK leadership transition and domestic crosscurrents

The president’s criticism coincided with the UK’s leadership process, with Burnham described as the only contender for the premiership. Reports also pointed to Burnham’s interest in devolution initiatives, including establishing a Number 10 presence in the North, signaling a potential shift of administrative focus. These signals framed a choice between accelerating regional development and maintaining current constraints on North Sea licensing, a decision with implications for investment, jobs and fiscal revenues tied to the offshore supply chain.

Starmer’s resignation set the stage for a policy reset while keeping climate targets in view. Domestic debate has featured calls from opposition leaders to intensify emissions cuts amid record heat, while advocates of expanded production cite energy security and price stability. The president’s remarks revived a long-running argument between rapid renewable deployment and continued development of legacy resources, with Aberdeen’s role as a historic oil hub underscored by his reference to the city’s past boom conditions.

Iran conflict backdrop and UK permissions

Tensions over Iran formed a second strand of the president’s critique. Earlier denials by Sir Keir Starmer of US use of British bases for the bombing campaign were followed by limited permission for defensive strikes, a sequence that sharpened US complaints about allied caveats. The UK’s position reflected an effort to balance alliance solidarity with domestic and legal considerations while avoiding direct escalation across the region’s chokepoints.

The debate now spans energy, defense and diplomacy, with the United States signaling expectations on both spending and supply. For London, the North Sea question intersects with its NATO posture: industrial capacity, fiscal headroom and public consent for higher defense outlays all hinge on the trajectory of growth and revenues. As alliance leaders convene in Turkey, the future of North Sea licensing—and the policy latitude of a potential Burnham government—remains at the center of a wider calculation that binds energy policy to security commitments.