Trump, accompanied by his son Eric Trump, US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, and Stephens’ son, teed off around 10:00 a.m. on the resort’s renowned Ailsa course
A significant security operation was launched across parts of Scotland as US President Donald Trump began a private visit marked by golf outings, political meetings, and widespread public demonstrations. The president arrived at Prestwick Airport on Friday evening and spent Saturday playing golf at his Trump Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, kicking off a visit that has drawn both fanfare and fierce opposition.
Trump, accompanied by his son Eric Trump, US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, and Stephens’ son, teed off around 10:00 a.m. on the resort’s renowned Ailsa course. Their entourage reportedly included 15 golf buggies. While the day remained incident-free at Turnberry itself, protests erupted in cities such as Edinburgh and Aberdeen, where hundreds gathered to voice concerns over Trump’s policies and presence.
“Great to be in Scotland,” Trump declared shortly after landing, offering praise for leaders of both the UK and Scottish governments. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney. A highlight of the visit will be the official opening of a second 18-hole golf course at Trump’s estate in Aberdeenshire.
While Trump walked the greens in Turnberry, surrounded by tight security including police and military personnel, demonstrators in other parts of the country carried signs and chanted slogans denouncing his stances on climate change, immigration, and international conflicts, including the ongoing war in Gaza.
Anita Bhadani, one of the organisers of the Stop Trump Coalition protest outside the US Consulate General in Edinburgh, called the weekend a “carnival of resistance.” In Aberdeen, protester Nicola Seal criticised the public expense tied to the visit, saying, “We shouldn’t be hosting him. It’s costing vast amounts of taxpayers’ money, sucking enormous amounts of police resources.”
Security measures at Turnberry included the closure of several roads, the erection of a large fence around the golf course, and a security checkpoint outside the hotel. Despite this, some local golfers were still able to access the course early in the day. Trump acknowledged photographers who had gathered nearby, waving to them as he approached the fourth tee.
Adding to the public debate, the Scottish Government announced on the same day that it would provide £180,000 in public funding to support the upcoming Nexo Championship — a DP World Tour golf tournament — at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, scheduled for August 7–10. First Minister John Swinney defended the move, saying it highlighted Scotland’s role as the “home of golf” and would help attract future sporting events.
However, the announcement drew criticism from political opponents, including Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, who likened the funding to “handing some pocket money to the school bully.”
State visits by US presidents to Scotland are historically rare. Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Balmoral in 1957, George W. Bush attended the G8 summit in Gleneagles in 2005, and Joe Biden came to Glasgow in 2021 for a climate summit. Trump is now the only sitting US president to have visited Scotland twice in the 21st century. His first visit in 2018 was met with mass protests, including a paraglider who breached the air exclusion zone over Turnberry.
Trump returned in 2023 after losing the 2020 US presidential election and is scheduled to return again in September 2025 for an official state visit hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle — his second such honour, a rarity for second-term presidents.
Trump’s controversial visit coincided with a resurfacing of his long-standing opposition to renewable energy in Scotland. Speaking to reporters at Prestwick, he reiterated his disdain for wind farms, referencing his failed legal battle in 2019 to prevent an offshore wind power development near his Menie golf course in Aberdeen. “Stop the windmills,” he said, urging Europe to “get your act together” on migration and energy policy.
During their scheduled meeting, First Minister Swinney has pledged to raise concerns not only about trade and investment but also pressing global issues such as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He also called on those planning further protests to “do so peacefully and within the law.”
Trump is expected to return to Washington on Tuesday following meetings with Swinney, Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is scheduled to discuss transatlantic trade relations with him on Sunday.
