Trump opens new Scotland golf course, praises UK trade deal

Trump waves at golf course opening in Scotland, 29 July, 2025.
Reuters

Donald Trump wrapped up his five-day Scotland visit by opening a new golf course, while balancing diplomacy with world leaders over crises from Gaza to Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump officially opened a second 18-hole golf course at his property in northeastern Scotland on Tuesday, capping a trip that blended personal leisure with high-stakes diplomacy.

Joined by his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., and a host of sports and business figures, Trump played the first round at the new Trump International course near Aberdeen.

What began as a private trip evolved into a diplomatic effort, including trade talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, meetings with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and outreach to defuse tensions between Cambodia and Thailand. Trump challenged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s denial of starvation in Gaza and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to accelerate peace efforts in Ukraine.

Despite the global challenges, Trump praised the beauty of the course, saying he would play a 'quick round' before returning to Washington, D.C., to 'put out fires all over the world.'

"We stopped a war - we've stopped about five wars. So that's much more important than playing golf."

He claimed his administration helped prevent several wars and pointed to multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations in recent days.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who met with Trump earlier on Tuesday, also attended, along with Adrian Mardell, the chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, and Alastair King, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, who represents Britain's finance industry.

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