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Eric Trump says the UK should "deal with their own energy policy" - Sky News
Published 13 September 2026 · Source: Google News
Eric Trump says the UK should "deal with their own energy policy" Sky News
Eric Trump has waded into Britain's ongoing energy debate, telling Sky News that the UK should "deal with their own energy policy" rather than looking to the United States for guidance on its approach to power generation and net zero targets. The comments from the son of US President Donald Trump come amid persistent scrutiny of the UK's energy strategy, with critics and supporters alike continuing to clash over the pace and cost of the transition away from fossil fuels.
The remarks, though brief, land at a sensitive moment for UK energy policy. Ministers have faced sustained pressure over household bills, industrial energy costs, and the reliability of the electricity grid as the country pushes towards its legally binding net zero commitments. Eric Trump's intervention echoes a broader pattern of transatlantic commentary on Britain's climate and energy choices, with figures from the Trump family and wider Republican circles periodically weighing in on policies they view as economically burdensome or ideologically driven.
For the UK energy sector, such comments—whatever their intent—tend to reignite domestic arguments rather than settle them. Advocates of the current trajectory, including significant investment in offshore wind, solar capacity and battery storage, argue that reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels is not just an environmental necessity but a matter of national energy security, particularly after the volatility exposed by the war in Ukraine. Opponents, meanwhile, continue to question the affordability of the transition for consumers and businesses already grappling with elevated energy costs.
The timing is notable given the UK government's continued efforts to attract investment in clean power infrastructure, from offshore wind farms to the expanding network of EV charging points needed to support the shift to electric vehicles. Industry bodies have repeatedly stressed that policy stability and clear long-term signals are essential to unlock the private capital required to meet net zero goals, whether that investment comes from domestic firms or international partners, including American energy and technology companies.
Comments from prominent US political figures on UK domestic policy are not unprecedented, but they tend to draw sharp responses from both sides of the political spectrum in Britain. Some will see Eric Trump's remarks as an unwelcome intrusion into sovereign policymaking; others may use them to bolster arguments for a slower or different approach to decarbonisation.
What remains clear is that the UK's energy policy will continue to be shaped domestically, through Parliament, regulators such as Ofgem, and the National Energy System Operator, rather than by external commentary. As the country navigates the competing pressures of affordability, security of supply and climate commitments, debates over the right path forward—and who has standing to weigh in on it—look set to persist well beyond this latest exchange.