UK Security Tight as Trump Visits Scotland for Golf Resorts and Starmer Meeting

[webfact]

video screenshot

 

Donald Trump jets into Scotland for a whirlwind tour of his cherished golf resorts, including Turnberry and a new course at Menie, Aberdeenshire. During his visit, he will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss trade, making for an unusual mix of business and politics rarely seen from US presidents.

 

Security is at an all-time high, with roads in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire sealed off and airspace restrictions in place. At Aberdeen and Prestwick airports, we have spotted military transport aircraft carrying Trump's helicopters. Police Scotland is well-prepared, despite concerns over the estimated £5 million in policing costs.

 

Trump's Scottish roots run deep, with his mother hailing from the Isle of Lewis. King Charles will host him and First Lady Melania during a state visit in September, following his return to Scotland this summer.

 

Meetings with Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and business leaders are also on the agenda, stirring hopes of trade discussions, especially regarding US tariffs on Scotch whisky.

 

This visit, however, isn't without controversy. Trump's focus on his business interests raises eyebrows, especially in light of ongoing global crises and questions about his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Yet, it seems the businessman-turned-president has not entirely shed his corporate pursuits for political ones.

 

During a previous meeting, Trump demonstrated his unconventional style by promoting his golf courses instead of addressing hot-button political issues. His stance on Scottish wind farms adds to his controversial image; he has long opposed them, claiming they 'destroy Scotland' and spoil the view from his courses.

 

Environmentalists are critical of Trump's views on North Sea oil, which he promotes despite the global shift to renewable energy. His sentiments echo those of Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, who seeks to gain ground in upcoming Scottish elections.

 

Trump's relationship with Scotland's golf scene remains complex. While Turnberry and its three luxurious courses have hosted the Open Championship four times, the R&A has not returned the event since Trump acquired the venue. This is a sore point for Trump, who relishes both political power and business prestige.

 

In Aberdeen, where the oil industry is significant, Trump's pro-oil stance may resonate with some individuals. However, large anti-Trump demonstrations are expected in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, adding to tensions.

 

In summary, Trump's visit to Scotland reflects his unique approach to diplomacy, blending business interests with presidential duties. Security concerns, trade talks, and public opposition form a backdrop as Trump continues to stir debates about energy and economics, both locally and internationally.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-07-26

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

in light of ongoing global crises and questions about his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

What a load of dung.  The dem's had 4 years to expose any 'ties' with Trump.  They are grasping at anything that they think will slow down the President's agenda.

[AustinRacing]

Using tax payer money for personal use. Hmmm. He’s gotten away with more so adding this won’t matter much. 

[nauseus]

29 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

Using tax payer money for personal use. Hmmm. He’s gotten away with more so adding this won’t matter much. 

 

Perks of the job. Get over it. 

[Wrwest]

3 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

What a load of dung.  The dem's had 4 years to expose any 'ties' with Trump.  They are grasping at anything that they think will slow down the President's agenda.

The demand for transparency is coming from MAGA. They actually believed trump when he said he would release all info so it would expose Democrats. Now? Backtracking ... nothing new.

[Watawattana]

2 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

Using tax payer money for personal use. Hmmm. He’s gotten away with more so adding this won’t matter much. 

Apparently he's meeting Starmer and Scottish Parliament leader.  So, seems like a work trip with a bit of add-on down time.   I don't have a great issue with this; I've been on work trips and gone to a bar or 3 during some of those trips.  I'd be a hypocrite if I moaned about Trump on this, albeit, of course, his add-on costs are a 'bit more' than mine.

[BusyB]

9 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

What a load of dung.  The dem's had 4 years to expose any 'ties' with Trump.  They are grasping at anything that they think will slow down the President's agenda.

 

I suspect the Dems are worried about the contents as well.

[JonnyF]

Feel bad for Trump having to meet the simp Starmer. 

 

Longest hour of his life. 

[MarkBR]

1 hour ago, BusyB said:

 

I suspect the Dems are worried about the contents as well.

All on Epstein's list should be worried unless they have iron-clad alibis.

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Feel bad for Trump having to meet the simp Starmer. 

 

Longest hour of his life. 

 

Somehow I don't think the chat will be about a trade deal.

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

 

Somehow I don't think the chat will be about a trade deal.

 

Hopefully Trump educates him on the first amendment. 

 

[jacnl2000]

In the 17th century, Donald Trump’s ancestral clan—the MacLeods of Lewis—lost control of the Isle of Lewis due to internal conflict and Crown-sanctioned land seizure by Clan Mackenzie—a process that would today be recognized as aggressive land encroachment, or simply, land grabbing.

Anyone who owns a piece of land knows how these things usually go: not well, and certainly not fairly.

In modern Scotland, progressive land reform laws protect communities by enabling collective ownership of land. On an island as large and socially intricate as Lewis, where major estates are already held by community trusts, it’s nearly impossible for any individual—regardless of ancestral claim—to purchase such land outright.

Therefore, the golf course on Lewis will never be put up for private sale. Turnberry, by contrast, is an entirely different story—a privatized, historically Bruce-owned site, acquired through a commercial deal.

What? Trump still wants to buy Greenland, you say?
Unbelievable—but then again, real geopolitical absurdity often is.

 

 

Above: A tongue-in-cheek professional attempt (I did my best—but it will never be good enough; bringing Donald closer to his maternal home) to reimagine the MacLeod of Lewis crest, replacing the traditional radiant sun with the face of Donald Trump.
The belt-and-buckle format and the early Scots motto “I birn quhil I se” (“I burn while I see”) remain true to heraldic tradition.
While clearly satirical, the emblem captures the tension between ancestral symbolism and modern ambition—land, legacy, and legacy-branding colliding in one surreal image.

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, jacnl2000 said:

In the 17th century, Donald Trump’s ancestral clan—the MacLeods of Lewis—lost control of the Isle of Lewis due to internal conflict and Crown-sanctioned land seizure by Clan Mackenzie—a process that would today be recognized as aggressive land encroachment, or simply, land grabbing.

Anyone who owns a piece of land knows how these things usually go: not well, and certainly not fairly.

In modern Scotland, progressive land reform laws protect communities by enabling collective ownership of land. On an island as large and socially intricate as Lewis, where major estates are already held by community trusts, it’s nearly impossible for any individual—regardless of ancestral claim—to purchase such land outright.

Therefore, the golf course on Lewis will never be put up for private sale. Turnberry, by contrast, is an entirely different story—a privatized, historically Bruce-owned site, acquired through a commercial deal.

What? Trump still wants to buy Greenland, you say?
Unbelievable—but then again, real geopolitical absurdity often is.

 

 

Above: A tongue-in-cheek professional attempt (I did my best—but it will never be good enough; bringing Donald closer to his maternal home) to reimagine the MacLeod of Lewis crest, replacing the traditional radiant sun with the face of Donald Trump.
The belt-and-buckle format and the early Scots motto “I birn quhil I se” (“I burn while I see”) remain true to heraldic tradition.
While clearly satirical, the emblem captures the tension between ancestral symbolism and modern ambition—land, legacy, and legacy-branding colliding in one surreal image.

 

 

It's beautiful. Well done.

[bendejo]

On 7/25/2025 at 6:44 PM, AgMech Cowboy said:

What a load of dung.  The dem's had 4 years to expose any 'ties' with Trump.  They are grasping at anything that they think will slow down the President's agenda.

 

Yes, I agree, blame it on the Dems.  I do.  If they had succeeded in bringing this reprobate to task he and his gang of blackguards wouldn't be back in the WH today. 

Does Bondi even use her desk?  Somebody check if Merrick Garland is still asleep under it.  

 

The Dems bring a spoon to a knife fight, while the GOP goes for the jugular.