Former US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing critique of the United Kingdom's approach to energy development and Europe's immigration policies during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In remarks that have drawn immediate condemnation from environmental groups, Trump specifically targeted Sir Keir Starmer's administration over its stance on North Sea oil and gas reserves.
Energy Policy Under Fire
During his address to international delegates in the Swiss Alps, Trump delivered a sustained attack on what he repeatedly termed the green energy "scam." He claimed the UK government has created conditions that make it "impossible" for oil companies to develop North Sea resources despite what he described as abundant reserves.
"The United Kingdom produces just one-third of the total energy from all sources that it did in 1999 – think of that, one-third – and they're sitting on top of the North Sea, one of the greatest reserves anywhere in the world," Trump told reporters. "But they don't use it, and that's one reason why their energy has reached catastrophically low levels, with equally high prices."
Controversial Claims About Reserves
The former president disputed common arguments about North Sea depletion, making extraordinary claims about the region's potential. "They like to say, 'Well, you know, that's depleted'. It's not depleted. It's got 500 years. They haven't even found the oil, the North Sea is incredible," he asserted.
Trump went further to criticise the financial arrangements governing North Sea development, stating: "They don't let anybody drill, environmentally, they don't let them drill. They make it impossible for the oil companies to go. They take 92 per cent of the revenues. So the oil companies say, 'We can't do it'."
Environmental Campaigners Respond
Environmental organisations swiftly condemned Trump's comments, with Greenpeace UK's Lily-Rose Ellis delivering a particularly strong rebuttal. "Trump's knowledge of North Sea oil and gas amounts to a tottering pile of lies," she stated. "The UK Government can safely ignore advice from a climate denier bankrolled by the fossil fuel industry."
Friends of the Earth's Mike Childs echoed this sentiment, arguing: "The only people who benefit from backtracking on climate action are the polluters, billionaires and powerful vested interests profiting from fossil fuels."
Broader Critique of European Policies
Trump's Davos address extended beyond energy policy to deliver a sweeping criticism of European immigration approaches. In comments likely to deepen existing transatlantic divisions over trade and his previously stated ambitions regarding Greenland, the former president claimed mass migration had fundamentally altered European societies.
"Certain places in Europe are not even recognisable, frankly, anymore. They're not recognisable," he told the audience. "And we can argue about it, but there's no argument: friends come back from different places – I don't want to insult anybody – and say 'I don't recognise it', and that's not in a positive way, that's in a very negative way."
Political Philosophy Contrast
The former president positioned his critique within a broader philosophical framework, contrasting his approach with what he described as conventional wisdom in Western capitals. "In recent decades, it became conventional wisdom in Washington and European capitals that the only way to grow a modern western economy was through ever-increasing government spending, unchecked mass migration and endless foreign imports," he argued.
Trump continued: "The consensus was that so-called dirty jobs and heavy industries should be sent elsewhere, that affordable energy should be replaced by the green new scam, and that countries could be propped up by importing new and entirely different populations from far away lands."
Context and Background
The remarks come during Trump's first international appearance since returning to the White House, where he highlighted achievements from his initial years back in office. His comments about Greenland follow previous tensions with European allies over his expressed interest in acquiring the territory, with Sir Keir Starmer having previously stated he "will not yield" on the matter under threat of tariffs.
The speech represents a significant intervention in ongoing debates about energy security, climate policy, and immigration across Europe, delivered at one of the world's most prominent international forums. Trump's characterisation of European societies as fundamentally changed by immigration policies, combined with his vigorous defence of fossil fuel development, sets the stage for continued transatlantic policy disagreements in the coming months.
