Donald Trump launches attack on North Sea taxes on final day of visit to Scotland
The US President tore into the Labour Government's windfall tax on oil and gas firms and its block on new licences just a day after he held talks with the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
He also said that the UK could make a 'fortune' if it incentivised drilling.
Mr Trump concluded his visit to Scotland by opening a new golf course in Aberdeenshire, where he also held talks with the First Minister John Swinney, before playing a round of golf and then flying back to the US on Air Force One.
Writing on his Truth Social social media site, he said: 'North Sea Oil is a TREASURE CHEST for the United Kingdom.
'The taxes are so high, however, that it makes no sense. They have essentially told drillers and oil companies that, 'we don't want you.'
'Incentivize the drillers, FAST. A VAST FORTUNE TO BE MADE for the UK, and far lower energy costs for the people!'
The latest attack comes after Mr Trump said he wants Scotland to 'thrive' when pressed on his punishing tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the US.
During his visit, he repeatedly referred to Aberdeen as the 'oil capital of Europe' and also made the case for more drilling.
Sir Keir's Labour government has imposed a ban on new oil and gas licences as well as increasing the windfall tax on North Sea profits to 38 per cent, and extended it to 2030.
The approach since Labour came to power has sparked fears about the threat to tens of thousands of North Sea jobs.
The President raised his view that there should be more oil and gas activity and also condemned the expansion of wind farms during his private talks with the First Minister John Swinney yesterday.
Following the talks, Mr Swinney said: 'He obviously expressed his view that there should be more oil and gas activity undertaken.
'I've seen material from the President this morning which raises issues about taxation, which of course are not under my control, I don't have any influence over North Sea oil and gas taxation, and obviously the President made clear his view that he's not a supporter of wind turbines, and I expressed the view that we have about our energy priorities and renewable energy.'
Mr Swinney was in the audience as Mr Trump formally opened the second course at the Trump International Golf Links on the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire yesterday, as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and Tory Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie.
The event was also attended by a string of sporting celebrities including the former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley and former footballers Robbie Fowler, Andriy Shevchenko, Jim Leighton and Gianfranco Zola.
The President also presented a framed photo collage to a tearful Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President and general manager of Trump international Golf Links
In his speech at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr Trump said he has 'put out fires all over the world' and claimed he had 'stopped about five wars' during his visit on Monday.
On the US trade deal with the UK, he said: 'It's a very big deal and a great deal for the country and a great deal for everybody, so I just want to thank him (Sir Keir) and everybody that worked so hard on it. They've been trying to get it done for 12 years, we got it done so somebody did a good job.'
Scottish Conservative net zero and energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: 'The SNP and Labour governments' hostility to North Sea oil and gas is economic and environmental madness, which other countries can't fathom.
'They can see it is making the country poorer, endangering our energy security and destroying livelihoods.
'The policies of these two Left-wing governments are costing an estimated 400 jobs a fortnight – all while making us more reliant on imported energy from overseas.
'Labour and the SNP should abandon their dogmatic opposition to new fields, and heed Kemi Badenoch's call to ditch the energy price levy, rather than throwing Scotland's world-leading energy sector under the bus.'
Responding to Mr Trump's comments on oil and gas, Anas Sarwar said: 'We have a different view on renewables, we agree that oil and gas has got a significant role to play in our energy mix for decades to come.
'That is significant for us here in Scotland but also for the broader UK and what we have to do is get the balance right between imposing a windfall tax, which I wholeheartedly support, that recognises that we have got to recognise that there are sky-high energy bills but also sky-high profits for many energy companies and people want to see that imbalance addressed.
'But we've also got to make sure that for all those sites that exist across the North Sea that are fully licensed, that can be explored but perhaps right now aren't being explored, is how do we maximise the investible propositions that allow people to do that.
'So we've got to get the balance right – I of course wouldn't agree with the way it is framed by the President.'
President Trump and members of his family boarded Air Force One at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. His helicopter Marine One had flown him to the base from the golf resort.
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