Trump caps his Scottish visit by opening a new golf course
Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. are cutting the ceremonial ribbon and playing the first-ever round at the new Trump course in the village of Balmedie, on the northern coast of Scotland. Also from the country's north is the president's late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis, immigrated to New York and died in 2000 at age 88.
'My mother loved Scotland,' Trump said during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday at another one of his golf courses, Turnberry, on Scotland's southern coast. 'It's different when your mother was born here.'
Trump used his trip to meet with Starmer and reach a trade framework for tariffs between the U.S. and the European Union's 27 member countries — though scores of key details remain to be hammered out.
The overseas jaunt let Trump escape Washington's sweaty summer humidity but also the still-raging scandal over the files related to Jeffrey Epstein. But it was mostly built around golf — and walking the new course before it officially begins selling rounds to the public on Aug. 13, adding to a lengthy list of ways Trump has used the White House to promote his brand.
Trump's assets are in a trust, and his sons are running the family business while he's in the White House. But any business generated at the course will ultimately enrich the president when he leaves office.
The new golf course will be the third owned by the Trump Organization in Scotland. Trump bought Turnberry in 2014 and owns another course near Aberdeen that opened in 2012.
Trump golfed on Saturday as protesters took to the streets, and on Sunday. He invited Starmer, who famously doesn't golf, aboard Air Force One so the prime minister could get a private tour of his Aberdeen property before Tuesday's ceremonial opening.
'Even if you play badly, it's still good,' Trump said of golfing on his course over the weekend. 'If you had a bad day on the golf course, it's OK. It's better than other days.'
Trump even found time at Turnberry to praise its renovated ballroom, which he said he'd paid lavishly to upgrade — even suggesting that he might install one like it at the White House.
'I could take this one, drop it right down there,' Trump joked. 'And it would be beautiful.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump calls on Federal Reserve board to wrest full control of central bank from Fed Chair Powell
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday called for the Federal Reserve's board of governors to usurp the power of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, criticizing the head of the U.S. central bank for not cutting short-term interest rates. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Powell 'stubborn." The Fed chair has been subjected to vicious verbal attacks by the Republican president over several months. The Fed has the responsibility of stabilizing prices and maximizing employment. Powell has held its benchmark rate for overnight loans constant this year, saying that Fed officials needed to see what impact Trump's massive tariffs had on inflation. If Powell doesn't 'substantially' lower rates, Trump said, 'THE BOARD SHOULD ASSUME CONTROL, AND DO WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS HAS TO BE DONE!' Trump sees the rate cuts as leading to stronger growth and lower debt servicing costs for the federal government and homebuyers. The president argues there is virtually no inflation, even though the Fed's preferred measure is running at an annual rate of 2.6%, slightly higher than the Fed's 2% target. Trump has called for slashing the Fed's benchmark rate by 3 percentage points, bringing it down dramatically from its current average of 4.33%. The risk is that a rate cut that large could cause more money to come into the economy than can be absorbed, possibly causing inflation to accelerate. The Supreme Court suggested in a May ruling that Trump could not remove Powell for policy disagreements. This led the White House to investigate whether the Fed chair could be fired for cause because of the cost overruns in its $2.5 billion renovation projects. Powell's term as chair ends in May 2026, at which point Trump can put his Senate-confirmed pick in the seat. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the Federal Reserve System at Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Disapproval Rating Jumps: Honeymoon 'Has Gone'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's second term "honeymoon" is over, a YouGov analyst has said in the wake of the latest polling, which revealed his disapproval rating has increased. According to the YouGov polling forBritish paper The Times, the proportion of people who disapprove of Trump's job performance has increased from 52 percent in April to 57 percent in July. Reacting to this polling, analyst for YouGov Mark Blumenthal said: "The honeymoon at the beginning has gone." Why It Matters In the first six months of his presidency, Trump's popularity as fluctuated. Voters have in particular raised concerns about the administration's handling of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's case, as well as Trump's tariffs policies and his impact on the economy more broadly. President Donald Trump listens during an event to sign an executive order restarting the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. President Donald Trump listens during an event to sign an executive order restarting the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Maintaining broad support will be of key importance when voters head to the midterm elections in November 2026. What To Know The YouGov survey of 1,470 adults was conducted between July 18 and July 21. The margin of error was not provided. While 57 percent disapproved of Trump's performance, 39 percent approved. In April, the proportion of people who approved was 42 percent. It also found that 37 percent graded Trump's second term as excellent or good while 59 percent said it had been fair or poor so far. In addition, 63 percent of Americans said the U.S. was "out of control" and 24 percent disagreed with that premise. And 36 percent said Trump hasn't achieved anything this term, while 13 percent listed "arresting and deporting illegal immigrants" as his best achievement so far and 11 percent said it was "reducing border crossings." Polling by Civiqs released this week showed Trump's approval rating was negative in 13 of the 31 states he won in the November 2024 presidential election, Another survey conducted by Quantus Insights from July 21 to July 23 among 1,123 registered voters showed his approval rating stood at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapproved. However, other polls are more positive. One poll showed Trump gaining more traction with Hispanic voters, a key demographic that traditionally supports Democratic candidates. Another in July had the proportion of college-educated voters who approve of the president's job performance increase from June. What People Are Saying Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K, said: "Trump's second term has been less of a honeymoon, but more of a divorce from half the country: one where he's got to keep the house, the kids and just about all of the assets. From day one of his rule by Executive Order he has never sought to bring the USA together and, indeed, has exploited differences to highlight how he's delivering on his campaign commitments, not least through DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], through his clampdown on immigration and through his America First foreign policy." "Public services are already beginning to creak thanks to the actions of Musk and his cohort, and tariffs are driving up prices at home, while the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful act have yet to be felt. And around all this, the whiff of Epstein is tainting the president's achievements." Blumenthal said: "The honeymoon at the beginning has gone: inflation and jobs are still the leading issues and there is not a perception of anything improving. The survey suggests that Trump's two flagship economic initiatives—his tariffs and the One Big Beautiful Bill — are not perceived as helping the economy." What Happens Next Trump's approval rating will continue to fluctuate throughout his term in office as he implements his policy agenda. Whether it falls enough to impact the Republican Party in the November 2026 midterms remains to be seen.
USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
What's changing in Social Security: Full retirement age, payroll taxes and more
Learn more about the latest changes for Social Security. Social Security is undoubtedly a lifesaving financial lifeline for millions of Americans, but it's far from the easiest program to keep up with. That's been the case since monthly benefits began in 1940, and there's no reason to believe that'll change anytime soon. Trying to keep up with Social Security changes can be a lot to digest, but focusing on the most impactful and key ones can help you stay informed without being overwhelmed. Moving into the second half of the year, here are four key changes to be aware of. 1. The full retirement age has increased by two months Your full retirement age (FRA) is when you become eligible to receive your base monthly Social Security benefit, known as the primary insurance amount (PIA). Starting this year, FRA is 66 years and 10 months for people born in 1959, a two-month increase from the FRA of people born in 1958. This is noteworthy because your benefits will either be decreased or increased, depending on when you claim benefits, relative to your FRA. If you claim benefits before your FRA, the monthly amount will decrease by 5/9 of 1% for each month early, up to 36 months. After 36 months, benefits are further reduced by 5/12 of 1% monthly. For example, if your FRA is 66 and 10 months and you claim benefits at 62 (the earliest age at which you can claim), your monthly benefit will be reduced by roughly 29.17% Delaying benefits past your full retirement age will increase them by 2/3 of 1% each month (8% annually), until you turn 70. 2. Some Social Security recipients will receive a tax deduction President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which was recently signed into law, includes changes that could save retirees money on taxes. The bill doesn't eliminate the federal Social Security tax (despite some claims that it does), but it does offer a temporary deduction for some people 65 and older. Beginning now until 2028, qualified people 65 and older will receive a $6,000 deduction, and married couples will receive a $12,000 deduction. To qualify for the full deduction, single filers must have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) below $75,000, and couples must have a MAGI below $150,000. To qualify for a partial deduction, single filers must have a MAGI between $75,000 and $150,000, and couples must have a MAGI between $150,000 and $250,000. Anyone earning above those limits isn't eligible for the deduction. Eligible individuals can claim the deduction regardless of whether they take the standard deduction or itemize their deductions. (This isn't the case with most deductions.) 3. Some workers will pay more in Social Security payroll taxes To be eligible to receive Social Security, you (or your spouse if claiming spousal benefits) need to pay into the Social Security system via Social Security payroll taxes. The total tax is 12.4%, with employers and employees each paying 6.2%. However, not all of your income is subject to this tax. It's only up to a limit, called the "wage base limit." Beginning this year, the wage base limit has increased to $176,100, up from $168,600 in 2024. This means that some people will pay more in taxes because a larger portion of their income is eligible for taxation. For example, if you earned $175,000 in 2024, $6,400 of it would've been exempt from Social Security taxes. If you earn the same amount this year, the full $175,000 would be subject to the tax. 4. The earnings limit for facing the retirement earnings test increased If you're at least at your FRA, you can work and earn as much as you want with no problem. However, if you claim benefits early, earning over a certain amount will subject you to Social Security's retirement earnings test (RET). For those who won't reach their FRA in 2025, the earnings limit increased to $23,400, $1,080 more than in 2024. Earning more than that will reduce your annual benefits by $1 for every $2 over. For those reaching FRA this year, the limit increased to $62,160, $2,640 more than in 2024. Earning more than that will reduce benefits by $1 for every $3 over. Thankfully, the reduced benefits aren't permanently lost. When you finally reach your FRA, Social Security recalculates your benefits in a way that gradually adds back the withheld amount over your lifetime. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
