Trump Begins Scotland Visit Amid High-Profile Golf, Political Meetings, Protests

US President Donald Trump is visiting Scotland for a five-day trip combining diplomacy, business, and leisure, focusing largely on his family-owned golf resorts, Turnberry and Menie near Aberdeen. During the visit, he will open a new 18-hole golf course named after his Scottish-born mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, and hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss refining the US-UK trade agreement, including potential tariff reductions. The trip provides an opportunity for Trump and Starmer to deepen their relationship and address key international issues such as the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza. Despite the working nature of the visit, Trump’s presence has sparked significant protests across Scottish cities, prompting enhanced policing with support from officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The visit also occurs amid continued political controversy in the US over Trump's handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with some of Trump's supporters demanding more transparency. Scottish political leaders, including First Minister John Swinney, see the visit as a chance to promote Scotland's interests and showcase its economic potential on the world stage while respectfully engaging with the US president.