Trump presses Starmer to back North Sea oil as he blasts wind power at Chequers

LONDON — U.S. President Donald Trump pressed British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to reverse Britain’s North Sea oil and gas policy, telling him to "drill, baby, drill" to help curb households' energy bills. In remarks delivered at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, Trump criticized the UK's shift toward renewable energy and decarbonization targets, framing fossil fuel expansion as a straightforward route to lower prices. He argued that similar actions in the United States had driven inflation down and strengthened the economy, and he urged Starmer to accelerate domestic oil and gas production.

Trump's comments came as Starmer said he was "absolutely determined" to cut energy prices, but argued that reductions would come through a pragmatic mix of renewables and fossil fuels rather than a sudden pivot away from oil and gas. "The mix will include oil and gas for many years to come from the North Sea. We've been clear about that for some time," Starmer said at the same press conference. He added: "I am absolutely determined to ensure the price and cost of energy comes down so that bills come down both for individuals, for families, with their household bills, but also for business." He emphasized that the approach would combine renewables with gas and oil as the core elements of the energy mix.

The remarks come as Labour frames energy policy as a pragmatic blend rather than a pure climate-first path. The government has pledged a permanent ban on fracking to extract natural gas and has vowed not to approve new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea. Ministers say the North Sea will continue to supply energy for years to come as Britain decarbonizes the grid, aiming to reach Net Zero by 2050 and complete decarbonization of the electricity supply by 2030.

Separately, the policy debate intersects with renewed focus on Britain's AI ambitions. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warned that energy-intensive AI infrastructure could require gas-fired power stations. An expert at Queen Mary University London said that even a single data center could demand about 4.5 gigawatts of power, the equivalent of electricity used by about three million homes, underscoring concerns that Britain may not currently have sufficient power to run data centers.

Analysts note the tension between energy security, affordability, and climate targets as the UK navigates its post-Brexit policy; while Trump argued for accelerating fossil-fuel production, policymakers stress the need for a balanced approach that preserves long-term decarbonization goals.