Trump Slams UK Politician Andy Burnham, Calls Manchester a 'Town' in White House Verdict

Former US President Donald Trump has offered his first public remarks on prospective British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, describing him as "extremely liberal" and expressing doubt that he would "open up the North Sea" for oil exploration. During these comments, Trump initially appeared largely unfamiliar with Burnham, referring to him as "the mayor of a town," a remark that subsequently caused considerable offense across Manchester and sparked widespread backlash on social media for downgrading the city's status.

Trump reiterated his long-held frustration with the UK's energy policy, specifically criticising current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's refusal to permit further oil drilling in the North Sea. He contended that Starmer's reliance on "windmills" had "damaged the Prime Minister very, very badly." Trump recounted giving Starmer "pretty good advice," urging him to "open up the North Sea" and highlighting Aberdeen as the "hottest city of the whole continent," once the "oil city of Europe." He emphasized that the North Sea is "loaded" with oil, and companies are "begging" for access, willing to pay billions. He criticized the UK for buying oil from Norway, which extracts it from the North Sea, at a "big premium," while Norway has amassed "two trillion dollars in the bank." Trump believes that opening the North Sea is an "easy one" that would lead to "a lot of good things." This stance also ties into his decades-long grudge against wind farms, stemming from the Scottish government's decision to erect turbines near his upscale golf resort off the Aberdeen coastline.

Beyond energy policy, Trump also voiced his dissatisfaction with the UK's handling of the Iran conflict and what he perceived as a lack of assistance from European allies. During a meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte, Trump expressed disappointment with the UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Spain for declining to become involved in the conflict or assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz waterway following US-Israeli military action against Tehran. He noted that Sir Keir Starmer initially refused the US use of British military bases for the bombing campaign, although limited permission was later granted for defensive operations. This confrontation exacerbated pre-existing strains over Nato, with Trump frequently arguing that America disproportionately shoulders the financial burden of defending other nations, a dispute that recently saw John Healey step down as Defence Secretary.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte attempted to defuse these rising tensions regarding Iran and American threats to scale back troop deployments across Europe. Rutte utilized bar chart presentations, a format known to appeal to Trump, to showcase increased defence spending by Nato members, crediting Trump for driving these changes. Rutte acknowledged "isolated cases" of disappointment but asserted that generally, European allies "have been there" with the US, citing that 5,000 US aircraft departed from European bases before a ceasefire agreement was reached between Tehran and Washington, making it "very difficult to do Iran without having Europe as a power projection platform."

Despite these efforts, Trump maintained his critical view of many allies, particularly focusing on what he termed Spain as a "horror show" for not wanting to pay anything, implying they expect a "free ride." He also mentioned having previously advised Keir Starmer on what he saw as the UK's problems: "immigration and energy. And crime, too by the way." Trump suggested that the UK should bid out its North Sea oil reserves to major companies like Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and British Petroleum, asserting they are "begging to go there" and are willing to pay "billions of dollars," but "because the left is so crazy they don't want the money." When asked if he would welcome Burnham as a visitor if he became Prime Minister, Trump responded with a firm "No," citing their "different persuasion" and Burnham being "very liberal."