Trump brands UK ‘crazy’ for not drilling the North Sea. But would it actually lower energy bills?

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Donald Trump has criticised the United Kingdom for limiting new oil exploration in the North Sea, calling the country “crazy” for not expanding drilling
• The remarks come as geopolitical tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, raise concerns over global energy security

🔭 The context: The UK government ended new exploration licences in 2025, though existing oil and gas fields can still operate
• Recent pressure to revisit the policy has grown amid fears that conflict involving Iran could disrupt global energy supplies
• Trump argues that expanding North Sea drilling would boost domestic energy production and strengthen the British economy
However, analysts say most of the region’s resources have already been extracted

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, around 93% of the oil and gas likely to be produced from the UK North Sea has already been extracted
• Opening new fields would add relatively small volumes compared with historical output
• Energy prices in the UK are largely determined by global markets, meaning additional domestic supply would not significantly reduce household bills

⏭️ What’s next: The debate highlights a growing tension across Europe: balancing energy security in a volatile geopolitical environment with the long-term shift away from fossil fuels

📈 One stat: The UK has extracted around 4.1 billion tonnes of oil from the North Sea since 1975

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