Trump Advocates for UK Oil Drilling, Criticizes Energy Policy

During his visit to Scotland, former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the UK's energy policy, advocating for increased domestic oil drilling in the North Sea. He described the North Sea as a "treasure chest" being underutilized due to high taxes on oil companies. Trump suggested that incentivizing drillers could lead to significant economic benefits for the UK and lower energy costs for its citizens. His remarks come as North Sea oil production has been declining, and the UK's tax rate on oil extraction is among the highest globally. This contrasts with the current Labour government's focus on investing in clean energy, a policy shift from the previous Conservative government's pledge to maximize oil and gas production. The debate over the UK's energy strategy occurs against a backdrop of rising global temperatures attributed to fossil fuel consumption.