President Donald Trump criticized the United Kingdom for striking a green energy deal with California Gov. Gavin Newsom just hours after it was finalized on Monday, according to Politico.
In an interview with the publication, Trump called it “inappropriate” for Britain to deal with a Democratic governor. The Republican president also called Newsom a “loser” and added that “his state has gone to hell and his work on the environment is a disaster.”
About the energy agreement
The energy deal, which Newsom signed with British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Monday, commits the two sides to cooperation on clean energy technologies, including offshore wind, and seeks to expand opportunities for British companies in the California market.
Its deal with the UK secured a $1 billion investment from UK-based Octopus Energy. The funding will support two California carbon sequestration companies that focus on grassland restoration and reforestation, turning degraded land into CO2-absorbing assets, The Hill reports.
Nick Chaset, chief executive of Octopus Energy US, expressed support for the new partnership, saying that as a British technology company and investor expanding in the United States, creating a memorandum of understanding provides an opportunity to bring its smart technology to California, reduce energy costs and improve customer experience, The Independent reported.
He added that the company is already achieving this through a partnership with Southern California Edison, where the Octopus Shift app allows electric vehicles and home batteries to help the grid while giving customers more control over when and how they use energy.
Ed Miliband welcomed the deal with California, describing it as a step that would allow the country to regain “control of our energy to reduce bills, create jobs and tackle the climate crisis”.
A UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero representative said the government remains in close coordination with US officials, noting that Monday’s deal with California is one of several reached at the state level, consisting of Florida and Texas, aimed at boosting jobs and economic growth in the UK.
Meanwhile, Trump recently encouraged the oil and gas industry to propose areas in southern and central California that could be offered for offshore drilling leases as early as next year. Newsom and environmental advocates have criticized the idea, warning it could threaten the state’s ecosystems. In January, Newsom was barred from speaking at an official US venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a decision he attributed to the White House.
Newsom has been a vocal critic of Trump and has openly considered a 2028 Democratic presidential bid.
In an email, a Newsom spokesman said, “Donald Trump is knee-jerk for coal and big oil and is selling America’s future to China. Governor Newsom will continue to lead in his absence. Foreign leaders are rejecting Trump and choosing California’s vision of the future.”