Donald Trump has once again taken aim at under-pressure Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, urging him to open up North Sea oil production and crack down on immigration, as Starmer battles to keep his job following a wave of Labour resignations.
President Trump, who has been a vocal critic of the Prime Minister over Britain's reluctance to support the US in the conflict with Iran, has taken another dig at him. Speaking outside the White House ahead of his departure to China for a highly anticipated state visit with President Xi Jinping, Mr Trump was asked whether he had any words of wisdom for the beleaguered Prime Minister.
He replied: "Well, my advice has always been open up. Open up your oil in the North Sea. You've got one of the great oil finds anywhere in the world and you're not using it and you're not allowed to use it and it's one of the best in the world."
Trump told reporters it's 'up to' Starmer whether he resigns. "Open up your oil in the North Sea and get tough on immigration. Europe is being very very hurt by immigration," he added.
When asked whether Sir Keir should stand down, Mr Trump responded: "That's up to him." The US President then continued his tirade about what he described as untapped energy potential from North Sea oil fields, adding: "You're getting killed on windmilling your country to death."
Just days earlier, Starmer acknowledged there is heightened "tension" between Trump and Europe. During last week's European Political Community summit in Armenia, which was largely dominated by the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, the Prime Minister issued a warning over increasingly strained international relations.
Addressing delegates at the summit, Sir Keir said: "We cannot deny that some of the alliances that we have come to rely on are not in the place we would want them to be."
As he prepared to depart for China, Donald Trump also told reporters gathered at the White House that he intends to have a "long talk" with Xi Jinping regarding the Iran conflict, though he insisted "we have Iran very much under control", suggesting he would not require the Chinese President's assistance. The visit, scheduled for May 13-15, will mark the first trip to China by a sitting US president in nearly a decade.
