Trump Calls On UK To Ditch ‘Costly’ And ‘Unsightly’ Windmills For Oil Drilling In The North Sea

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the United Kingdom’s energy policy on Friday, using a Truth Social post to urge the country to abandon wind energy projects and ramp up fossil fuel production in the North Sea.

Trump, who has long opposed wind turbines, wrote that while the U.S.–U.K. trade deal is “working out well for all,” Britain should “stop with the costly and unsightly windmills” and instead “incentivize modernized drilling in the North Sea, where large amounts of oil lay waiting to be taken.” 

He added that there was “a century of drilling left, with Aberdeen as the hub.”

Trump owns a golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and previously waged a legal battle against offshore wind farms, which he said would spoil the view from his property.

He has repeatedly linked wind energy to falling property values and environmental harm, claiming that wind turbines “kill all the birds.”

Trump’s post also targeted the U.K.’s tax framework, calling it “old-fashioned” and a deterrent to energy development. Trump argued that incentivizing drilling would cause energy costs to “go WAY DOWN, and fast!”

The President has consistently promoted fossil fuels in both policy and rhetoric. After returning to the office in January, he signed an executive order declaring that federal wind leasing programs suffer from “various alleged legal deficiencies” that could negatively affect maritime safety, national security, commercial interests, and marine life.

The U.K. Labour Party has said it plans to end oil and gas production in the North Sea to favor wind and solar power. 

However, energy workers in Aberdeen have warned of a looming “cliff edge” for jobs if the transition is not managed with more precise planning. A recent commission heard concerns from industry workers about a lack of direction and a “profound sense of uncertainty” over the future of the region’s energy sector.

The First Trust Global Wind Energy ETF (FAN) tumbled 2.5% in pre-market trade on Friday. FAN’s stock has gained over 11% this year but has fallen 1.7% over the past 12 months. 

Meanwhile, the Global X Wind Energy ETF (WNDY) traded flat pre-market on Friday. WNDY stock is up 7% this year but has fallen more than 13% over the past 12 months.

Broader markets also traded lower, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) down by 0.06% and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) declining 0.05% on Friday morning.

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