President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Friday, combining diplomacy with business as his family prepares to open a new golf course on 13 August in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire.
Trump–Starmer Meeting and UK Trade Deal
Trump said his meeting with Starmer would be more of a celebration of the trade deal already reached than continued work on it, adding, "It's a great deal for both."
Since taking office last year, Starmer has prioritized strengthening ties with Washington and succeeded in clinching the first tariff-reduction deal with the U.S. in May, easing levies on aerospace goods and setting car export quotas.
EU Trade Talks and Tariff Proposals
Trump also commented on ongoing negotiations with the European Union, estimating a '50-50' chance of securing a major trade deal. He acknowledged there are still 'sticking points' on about 20 unresolved issues.
EU diplomats suggest the deal under discussion may introduce a broad 15% tariff on European goods—half the 30% Trump has threatened to impose by 1 August. As part of his broader effort to reset global trade terms, Trump has already introduced a 10% tariff on nearly all U.S. trade partners, a move aimed at reducing the trade deficit, though economists warn it could drive inflation.
Epstein Scandal and Public Reaction
Trump addressed the renewed media attention regarding his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, characterizing the coverage as disproportionate.
"You make it a very big thing over something that's not a big thing," Trump told reporters in Scotland, urging them to focus on other prominent Americans with ties to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton.
Scotland Visit and Public Sentiment
During his stay in Scotland, Trump is lodging at his Turnberry golf resort on the west coast. On Monday, he will travel to Aberdeen to open a second 18-hole course named after his Scottish-born mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was raised on the Isle of Lewis before immigrating to the U.S.
While Trump describes Scotland as a 'very special place,' local sentiment is less favorable. A recent Ipsos poll found that 70% of Scots hold a negative view of him. Protests are expected in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh over the weekend.
Upcoming State Visit
Looking ahead, Trump is scheduled to return to the UK in September for a formal state visit hosted by King Charles. It will make Trump the first world leader in modern times to undertake two state visits to Britain.
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Iran on 4 August approved the creation of a National Defence Council, following June’s brief air conflict with Israel, the country’s most serious military confrontation since the 1980s war with Iraq.
Hamas on 4 August said it is ready to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to hostages held in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, as outrage mounts over the deteriorating condition of captives and a rising death toll from hunger.
All five workers trapped underground in a collapse at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine have been found dead, regional prosecutors confirmed on 4 August, bringing the death toll to six.
At least 54 migrants have drowned and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying around 150 people sank in bad weather off southern Yemen on Sunday, according to health officials.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on 3 August, calling for justice reform and denouncing legal cases against the far-right leader as politically motivated.
On 4 August, relatives of missing persons and human rights activists marched through Mexico City, demanding answers and justice amid the country’s ongoing crisis of enforced disappearances.
Iran on 4 August approved the creation of a National Defence Council, following June’s brief air conflict with Israel, the country’s most serious military confrontation since the 1980s war with Iraq.
Hamas on 4 August said it is ready to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to hostages held in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, as outrage mounts over the deteriorating condition of captives and a rising death toll from hunger.
All five workers trapped underground in a collapse at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine have been found dead, regional prosecutors confirmed on 4 August, bringing the death toll to six.
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