President Donald Trump has made his first public comments about Andy Burnham, the prospective British prime minister, calling him 'extremely liberal' and suggesting he 'probably won't open up the North Sea' for oil exploration. The remarks came during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office on June 24, 2026.
Trump's Verdict on Burnham
When asked about his knowledge of Burnham, Trump referred to him as 'the mayor of a town' and said, 'I hear he's extremely liberal, extremely, so that means he probably won't open up the North Sea.' Burnham, the newly elected MP and former Greater Manchester mayor, is the sole contender to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister.
Trump reiterated his frustration with the UK's energy policy, criticizing Starmer's refusal to permit further oil drilling in the North Sea in favor of relying on 'windmills.' He claimed the stance had damaged Starmer 'very, very badly.'
North Sea Oil and NATO Tensions
Trump urged the UK to open up the North Sea, stating, 'The North Sea is loaded. I have had every oil company come to see me, “Sir, could you give us access to the UK? We would do anything to drill in the North Sea.”' He contrasted the UK's position with Norway, which has amassed a $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund from North Sea oil revenues.
The president also expressed disappointment with allies over the Iran conflict, noting that the UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Spain declined to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz after US-Israeli military action against Tehran. Starmer initially refused US use of British bases for bombing Iran, though limited permission was later granted for defensive operations.
NATO Spending and Ceasefire
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte used bar chart presentations to showcase increased defense spending by alliance members, crediting Trump for driving the change. Rutte noted that 5,000 US aircraft departed from European bases before a ceasefire with Iran was reached, emphasizing Europe's role as a 'power projection platform' for the US.
Trump's comments come ahead of a crucial NATO summit in Turkey and amid ongoing tensions over defense expenditure, which led to the resignation of UK Defence Secretary John Healey.
