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United States President Donald Trump has criticised outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer following his decision to step down as Labour Party leader, saying the British leader had damaged his standing through policies on energy, immigration and relations with Washington.
Speaking at an event at the White House, Trump described Starmer as a friend but argued that his government had mishandled Britain’s energy strategy by failing to exploit North Sea oil resources fully.
According to Trump, Britain has relied heavily on imported energy despite having significant oil reserves in the North Sea. He suggested that environmental considerations had prevented the country from maximising its domestic energy production.
“The UK buys much of its energy. You know where? Norway. You know where they get their oil? The North Sea,” Trump said. “The UK has a much better portion of the North Sea — they don’t want to do it for environmental purposes,” Trump said.
The US president also expressed disappointment over Starmer’s approach to defence cooperation, particularly during the conflict involving Iran.
Trump referenced disagreements over the use of British military facilities in Cyprus, claiming the UK had initially been reluctant to approve a US request to utilise RAF Akrotiri for operations against Iranian targets before eventually granting permission.
Trump said the episode had negatively affected Starmer politically, adding that issues relating to energy, immigration and crime had weakened the prime minister’s position.
Despite the criticism, Trump wished Starmer well and described him as a pleasant individual.
“I wish him well,” Trump said. “But he’s got two problems: energy and immigration — and crime. But energy and immigration. He’s really hurt himself very, very badly.”
Starmer announced on Monday that he would resign as Labour leader while remaining prime minister during a transition period. His decision follows mounting pressure from within the party after disappointing electoral performances and declining political support.
Veteran Labour politician Andy Burnham is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer after returning to Parliament, potentially becoming Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade.
