Donald Trump arrives in Scotland to open a new golf course and meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as security tightens and protests mount.
Donald Trump is visiting Scotland this week, flying in to promote his golf resorts and hold talks with British leaders, in a trip that blends personal business interests with political engagements.
The U.S. president will spend four days in the country where his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born. His itinerary includes a visit to Turnberry in South Ayrshire, which he purchased in 2014, and the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire, where he will officially open a new 18-hole course.
The White House confirmed Trump will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss trade and tariffs. He is also expected to meet Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney. Business groups such as the Scotch Whisky Association are urging both leaders to press Trump on reducing U.S. tariffs on British exports.
The trip has prompted major security operations, with military aircraft seen landing at Aberdeen and Prestwick airports. Roads have been sealed off, and airspace restrictions are in effect. Police Scotland estimates the cost of the visit’s policing could exceed £5 million.
While this is not an official state visit, it precedes a formal one in September, when Trump will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle. He is not expected to meet the monarch during this visit.
Anti-Trump demonstrations are being planned in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, but the president could find a more receptive audience in parts of Scotland such as Aberdeen, which has deep links to the oil industry. Trump recently criticised the UK’s green energy policies, telling the BBC that “Aberdeen should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil.”
His comments were rejected by environmental campaigners. The group Uplift said the idea that the North Sea can still ensure the UK’s energy security “runs counter to reality.”
Trump has long opposed wind farms, famously clashing with local authorities over a coastal wind energy project near his Menie resort, which he said would “destroy Scotland.” When asked by a Scottish Parliament committee to provide evidence of negative impacts on tourism, he responded, “I am the evidence.”
Despite the controversy, the wind farm was built and is now clearly visible from the golf course.
Trump’s visit also comes amid heightened security concerns, following an assassination attempt against him earlier this month. A man has been charged with attempting to shoot the president through a fence at his West Palm Beach resort. U.S. Secret Service officials remain under scrutiny for lapses in security, and Trump’s Scottish visit has placed additional pressure on local law enforcement.
This is not the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited Scotland, but such visits remain rare. Previous examples include Dwight Eisenhower in 1957, George W. Bush in 2005 for the G8 summit, and Joe Biden at the 2021 COP26 conference. Trump himself previously visited in 2018, when he was met by protests.
Turnberry, one of Trump’s signature holdings, has not hosted the Open Championship since his 2014 purchase. The sport’s governing body, the R&A, has cited logistical reasons for excluding it. Trump has taken issue with the decision, calling it a snub.
Though he now holds the highest office in the Western world again, Trump’s actions in Scotland underscore how closely he continues to link politics with personal branding. As one former Scottish lawmaker noted, “Donald Trump never stopped being a businessman. Even as president, that part of him never left.”
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sg...
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised ad...
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukraini...
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral tr...
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms coul...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukraine has presented the U.S. with a revised 20-point framework to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday, adding that the issue of ceding territory remains a major sticking point in negotiations.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that he still hopes the U.S. administration will reconsider its decision to withdraw from the organisation next month, warning that its exit would be a loss for the world.
A new proposal in the U.S. Congress aims to remove decades-old restrictions on American assistance to Azerbaijan, reopening a sensitive debate that has shaped Washington’s role in the region for more than thirty years.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised address to urge people across the country to take part in cancer screening programmes, officials confirmed.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday (12 December) as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment