Donald Trump flies back to US after five-day visit to Scotland
The president concluded his trip by opening a new golf course at his resort in Menie, Aberdeenshire, on Tuesday morning.
After playing on the new course, he flew by helicopter to the RAF base.
During his visit, he had earlier stayed at his other Scottish resort at Turnberry in South Ayrshire, where he enjoyed several rounds of golf.
Despite the mostly private nature of the trip, he hosted Sir Keir Starmer at both resorts on Monday.
EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also took part in a meeting with him at Turnberry on Sunday.
As Mr Trump cut the ribbon on the new course in Aberdeenshire, he said he would play a quick round before returning to Washington to 'put out fires all over the world'.
The US president teed off in front of an invited crowd including golfers, football stars, Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Just before hitting the first ball at the New Course, the US president told those gathered on a grandstand: 'We started with a beautiful piece of land, but we made it much more beautiful.'
Mr Trump added: 'I look forward to playing it today.
'We'll play it very quickly and then I go back to DC and we put out fires all over the world.
'We did one yesterday – you know we stopped the war. We've stopped about five wars.
'That's much more important than playing golf. As much as I like it, it's much more important.'
The president met First Minister Mr Swinney on Monday evening at a private dinner, and the two had a more formal meeting on Tuesday ahead of the course opening.
This meeting focused on Scotch whisky tariffs and the situation in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the First Minister said Mr Trump had showed a 'willingness' to move on tariffs for Scotch whisky.
He told the PA news agency: 'I think there's a willingness for President Trump to look at the issues that I've set out to him.
'I don't think that was the position a few days ago, because I think President Trump was of the view that the trade deal was done and dusted and that was an end of the matter.'
Mr Swinney told Mr Trump that Scotch whisky was 'unique' to Scotland and the tariff was a 'significant impediment'.
During the last day of his visit, Mr Trump also hit out at the UK's taxes on North Sea oil, saying the natural resource is a 'treasure chest' for the country.
During the trip – his first since 2023 and first since winning re-election – Mr Trump repeatedly referred to Aberdeen as 'the oil capital of Europe'.
During a lengthy media event alongside Sir Keir on Monday, Mr Trump spoke of his 'great love' for Scotland and said he wanted to see the nation 'thrive'.
A number of protests against the president's visit took place around Scotland during his time in the country.
On Monday afternoon, a small number gathered in the nearby village of Balmedie in Aberdeenshire, sitting by the roadside and holding anti-Trump placards.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
25 minutes ago
- Metro
‘Incredible' fast food chain from Australia to open 100 new UK stores
It's been called 'the best Mexican on the market' – and now this Aussie-born favourite is planning to take over the UK. The popular fast food chain Zambrero, known for its customisable burritos and burrito bowls, is set to open 100 new UK restaurants by 2030. The Mexican-inspired chain first launched in London in 2021 and has since expanded to 13 locations, including Manchester, Birmingham, Essex and Reading. But it's not stopping there. Zambrero has confirmed more UK sites are on the way next year, including its very first Scottish location. 'We've had a lot of interest in the brand during the last couple of years – and now is the right time for us to expand through our franchise partners and work towards opening 100 restaurants by 2030,' Emily Teh, CEO of Zambrero UK, said. So, what's on the Zambrero menu? Customers can build their own burritos and bowls, nachos and quesadillas from a range of fillings, including pulled pork, chicken, cauliflower and spicy black rice, with salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole to top it off. Prices start from around £10 for a small burrito or burrito bowl, with larger sizes coming in closer to around £13. It'll also cost you extra for chips and guac, and churros. Zambrero is probably best known for its burritos and burrito bowls, and some customers have called them the best around. One reviewer raved on TikTok about the Manchester location, calling it 'incredible' and claiming it had 'the best burrito in town'. Founded in Canberra, Australia, in 2005, Zambrero has become the largest Mexican restaurant chain in both Australia and Ireland. With more than 300 global sites, it's now aiming to expand into the UK lunch scene. Social media is filled with praise, and TripAdvisor reviews are equally glowing. 'An absolute must go. I have 3 / 5 of my lunches there. Best Mexican on the market,' one customer wrote. Another called it 'the perfect work lunch spot', and if the expansion goes to plan, you might be seeing one open near your office sooner than you think. It's not the only popular fast food chain expanding in the UK. One burger joint from the Netherlands is also planning to open 100 new UK sites. More Trending Fat Phill's, which is said to be home to Amsterdam's 'best burger', quietly launched in Clapham Junction in London at the end of 2024, serving up smash burgers, American-style sandwiches, loaded fries and mac and cheese. The chain, also known as Fat Phill's Diner, is still relatively new, having only been founded in 2019 by Armin Vahabian, but it's already got 18 locations across the Netherlands. It's been brought over here by Freshly Baked Ltd, the franchisor behind pretzel joint Auntie Anne's UK, and as part of this deal, there are plans to open several more sites on London high streets in the near future and develop up to 100 sites nationwide over the next 10 years. View More » Multiple sites also look set to roll out across Ireland by 2030. Zambrero has 13 different stores across five UK locations. These include: London: Cannon Street, Eastcheap, Kentish Town, Battersea, Crouch End, Twickenham Essex: Chelmsford and Loughton Reading: Queen Victoria Street Birmingham: Bull Ring and Colmore Row Manchester Cross Street and Manchester Picadilly Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: I tried McDonald's 'weirdest' McFlurry yet that 'tastes like Calpol' MORE: We found three places in London that feel just like a day at the beach MORE: 'Peak Greggs' is coming to UK — here's everything sausage roll fans should know Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
ITV News
25 minutes ago
- ITV News
Is Donald Trump winning the tariff war he started?
'I definitely love America,' declared Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, earlier this week. Unusually, the British pharmaceutical giant - headquartered in Cambridge - announced its half-year results not in London, but across the Atlantic. Not long ago, AstraZeneca was wrapping itself in the Union Jack to fend off a hostile takeover bid from the American drugmaker Pfizer. Now, it's whistling Yankee Doodle - ramping up investment in the US (to the tune of $50 billion, or £38 billion) and doing little to silence the campfire gossip that it may shift its primary stock market listing from the UK to the United States. America's economic might is such that when the president demands greater inward investment, companies like AstraZeneca feel compelled to be seen playing ball. Trump's approach has forced open some doors to bigger markets for American exporters. Bioethanol, for example, will flow toward the UK in greater quantities - or so British producers fear. But there's little evidence his tariff barrage is reviving US manufacturing or delivering the industrial jobs boom he promised. Yes, higher tariffs have boosted US government revenues - but those revenues come from American importers, and they're nowhere near enough to cover the tax cuts and spending pledges in Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Act. The IMF forecasts that US borrowing will rise further. And yet Trump presses on - underpinned by a belief that any country selling more to the US than it buys must be exploiting it. Most economists argue that's wrong-headed - America runs a large trade deficit because it consumes and borrows too much. But here we are. The faster Trump can close trade deals with the countries still in limbo, the less damage will be done. There's little to celebrate in the new round of tariffs, though they aren't as punishing as first threatened. The UK, along with the Falkland Islands, secured a relatively low 10% rate - the best on offer. Trade in goods will take a hit. Economic growth will slow. The UK is not in the direct firing line but won't escape unscathed and could fare worse if Trump turns his attention to services. Mexico has won a 90-day reprieve. Canada and Germany are among the most exposed. Switzerland is in shock, hit with a 39% tariff, well above the 31% Trump threatened back in April. And then there's China, the elephant in the room. It remains the biggest source of US imports by far. Talks continue, but it's unclear whether common ground can be found. Inflation in the US is rising and likely to rise further. But the American economy is growing regardless, seemingly impervious to the chaos surrounding it. The recession some predicted hasn't materialised. The dynamism is extraordinary. As one economist put it to me: 'The US economy is like a well-made car. You can drive it really badly but it's got such a powerful engine and such great brakes, it's almost impossible to stall.' Could Trump's trade strategy ultimately come unstuck? Possibly. But for now, the engine keeps running.
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ghislaine Maxwell's brother accuses ‘monster' Virginia Giuffre of ‘destroying' his sister's life
The brother of Ghislaine Maxwell has called Jeffrey Epstein accuser Vigirnia Giuffre a 'monster' who 'destroyed' his sister's life. Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC on Friday (1 August), Ian Maxwell said he 'sheds no tear' for Giuffre, who died earlier this year. Branding her a "consummate liar from start to finish', he accused her of 'destroying his sister's life'. 'My sister's been banged up for five years. It is very, very largely due to the actions, lies of this woman,' he claimed His comments come as the family of Giuffre urged Donald Trump not to pardon Maxwell, Epstein's long-term associate who is serving 20 years in prison for sex trafficking underage girls to the disgraced financier, after the US president revealed he is 'allowed' to grant her clemency.
