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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Craig Paton & Jon Brady

Donald Trump to visit Scottish golf courses in first UK trip since 2019

Former US president Donald Trump is due to arrive in Scotland as he visits his golf courses in the country.

He is expected to land in Aberdeen on Monday morning, saying on Truth Social - the social media platform he owns - that he will be opening a "spectacular" second course at the controversial Menie Estate in the north-east of the country. Following his time in Scotland, he will head to his course in Doonbeg on Ireland's west coast.

Despite the visit, Mr Trump, who is running for the White House again in 2024 and is seen by many as the presumptive Republican nominee, said his campaign is "on my mind", stressing that a victory for him would make America "greater than ever before".

He wrote on his social media platform: "Will be leaving for Scotland & Ireland soon in order to see and inspect my great properties there."

The former US president added: "The golf courses and hotels are among the greatest in the world - Turnberry and Aberdeen, in Scotland, and Doonbeg, in Ireland. Will be meeting with many wonderful friends, and cutting a ribbon for a new and spectacular second course in Aberdeen.

"Very exciting despite the fact that it is 'make America great again' that is on my mind, in fact, America will be greater than ever before." The tycoon's trip to Scotland comes as he faces legal trouble in his native New York over his business practices.

Trump took in a round of golf at his Turnberry resort during his last visit (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump had previously spent two days at his Turnberry course while in office in 2018, meeting Theresa May and the Queen during the visit.

Asked last week if he will meet Mr Trump, who has made controversial statements about Muslims in the past, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: "I would find it difficult, I have to say, to meet with him without raising the significance of concerns I have of the remarks that he's made in the past."

Trump's relationship with Scotland has been fractious. His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, hailed from the Outer Hebrides, prompting the ex-president to later declare: "I think I do feel Scottish."

However, his visits to his golf courses in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire have prompted protests from locals outraged at his past comments about immigration and women. Following the storming of the US Capitol building in 2021, golfing board the R&A announced that it would not stage The Open at his Turnberry course while he remains owner.

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