Donald Trump arrives in Scotland as President greeted at Prestwick Airport
Donald Trump has arrived at Prestwick Airport ahead of his four-day "private" trip in Scotland.
The US President was to be greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray after the Air Force One flight touched down at around 8.28pm on Friday.
The Republican leader will now head from the airport to spend time at his luxury Turnberry Hotel and golf resort, which is 35 miles further south.
Trump is expected to meet Keir Starmer in South Ayrshire in the coming days before they then both travel to Aberdeenshire, where the President will formally open a new golf course at his Menie Estate.
Murray said yesterday the UK will extend a "warm welcome" to the president, given the historic ties between the two countries. "Of course it's a warm welcome,' he said. "We would always have a warm welcome for the president of the United States.
"The office of the president of the United States and the office of the Prime Minister are ones that work very, very closely together, and should do, because it's in our national interest to do so.
'We should make sure those relationships are in place because it's important for our defence, our security, our economy – especially for jobs – and it's really, really important to the finer details of the US trade deal that's been done.'
Murray's comments come despite a 2019 motion in the House of Commons which he backed – along with Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Health Secretary Wes Streeting – while in opposition which accused the president of 'misogynism, racism and xenophobia'.
Pressed on his support for the motion, Murray did not answer, instead focusing on the importance of the relationship between the two countries. Murray said the Scottish Secretary has a 'duty' to welcome foreign dignitaries.
Speaking to reporters before he began his travel to Scotland today, the US president described his Turnberry golf course as 'the number one course in the world'.
Trump said he was going to have dinner at Turnberry with Starmer and 'then we're going to go to the oil capital of Europe, which is Aberdeen'.
He added: 'We're going to have a good time. I think the Prime Minister and I get along very well.'
Trump will also meet with John Swinney during his time in Scotland.
Asked about meeting with the First Minister, President Trump said he has a 'lot of love' for Scotland.
He added: ' The Scottish leader is a good man, so I look forward to meeting him.'
Trump also indicated he and Sir Keir Starmer could 'approve' the US-UK trade deal when they meet in Scotland.
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He said: 'We're going to be talking about the trade deal that we made and maybe even approve it.'
Protests are expected in parts of Scotland during the visit, with police expected to be stretched and requests for extra officers being issued to other forces in the UK.
The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said policing will be 'seriously affected'.
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