Donald Trump piles pressure on Andy Burnham before unleashing racist diatribe about UK

Donald Trump piled more pressure on Andy Burnham to open up the North Sea for oil and gas drilling, before launching into a racist diatribe about the UK.

Sian Hewitt

11:41, 30 Jul 2026Updated 11:41, 30 Jul 2026

[Trump has spoken about two of his favourite subjects]

Trump has spoken about two of his favourite subjects(Image: Aaron Schwartz - Pool via CNP/Shutterstock)

Donald Trump has piled more pressure on Andy Burnham to open up the North Sea for oil and gas drilling before launching into a racist rant about the UK and Europe.

The Orange Manbaby has long been vocal in his support for drilling deep and has seized upon reports Mr Burnham is considering granting new licences.

Asked for his impressions of the new Prime Minister, The US President said: "He did say one good thing, he said he's going to open up the North Sea. If he does that, you're going to be a wealthy country, if he does that reasonably."

[Trump was speaking at a White House Q&A]

Trump was speaking at a White House Q&A(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Trump's desire to see more drilling in the North Sea stems from a decades old feud with the Scottish government, after they approved a wind farm near his Aberdeenshire golf course.

Later in the Oval Office Q&A Trump was asked if he and Burnham had discussed immigration during their phone call last week. He said: "I did, briefly. He's going to have to mention it because it's killing your country."

He then went on to repeatedly describe immigration to the UK as an "invasion", a narrative that has long been a staple of far right, Neo-nazi propaganda.

[Andy Burnham has been open to drilling plans]

Andy Burnham has been open to drilling plans(Image: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool AP via)

He has frequently used language related to the "great replacement", a conspiracy theory that was once a fringe idea, but is becoming the mainstream view of the Republican Party.

It claims white populations and western culture are being deliberately diluted and replaced through migration. This is frequently described in terms of "invasion."

In the Oval Office, Trump said: "They're coming from Africa, they're coming from South America, they're coming from different parts of Asia, and they're invading Europe. They're invading Europe! It's an invasion. And the UK is a prime suspect."

[Trump has been an advocate of drilling]

Trump has been an advocate of drilling(Image: Getty Images)

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Last month during a speech in Normandy to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day, Trump's 'Secretary of War' Pete Hegseth used similar language, comparing migrant boat crossings to the invasion of the Nazis.

"Sadly, today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies," he said. "Beaches in Spain, in Italy, in Greece, and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive. When will European capitals do something about that invasion? Or is it too late?

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