Donald Trump has said it will be a “tough thing” for Sir Keir Starmer to survive as Prime Minister unless he shifts his position on energy and immigration. The US president, speaking on Air Force One after a two-day visit to China, stopped short of calling for Starmer’s resignation, describing him as “a nice man”.
Trump criticised Starmer’s energy policy, urging him to open up the North Sea for oil extraction. “He’s got a gold mine and should open up oil in the North Sea, and he doesn’t,” Trump said, adding that the UK pays Norway “a fortune” for oil from the same region. He also condemned wind turbines as “the most expensive form of energy” that “kill the birds” and “ruin the landscape”.
On immigration, Trump accused Starmer of being “weak” and described UK policies as “insane”, claiming Britain was being “invaded”. The president’s remarks come as Starmer faces a leadership challenge following poor local election results.
Trump also referenced a planned UK-France defensive mission in the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war, which the White House has criticised. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the proposal “doesn’t make sense”.
