John Swinney defends funding Donald Trump golf course tournament and denies 'buttering him up'
Scottish Government funding for a golf tournament at Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire course was not an attempt to 'butter up' the US president, John Swinney has said.
The Government announced on Saturday, just days before the First Minister met Mr Trump, that £180,000 of public money would be spent to bring the Nexo Championship to Scotland next month.
Mr Swinney said he had 'courteous' talks with Mr Trump on Tuesday morning, ahead of the official opening of a second course in Aberdeenshire. Gifts were also exchanged ahead of the meeting, with Mr Swinney giving the US president framed historic documents showing his family connections to Scotland, and a map of the Isle of Lewis. In return Mr Trump gave the First Minister an American bald eagle figurine.
The leaders discussed the situation in Gaza and tariffs on Scotch whisky, which Mr Swinney said the president appeared to be willing to move on. Speaking to the PA news agency, the First Minister said the tournament funding was not to curry favour with the president.
Asked if it was an effort to 'butter up' Mr Trump, he said: 'No, I think what I was trying to do is to make sure that a tournament that was coming to Scotland could be properly promoted. 'It's coming here, we've essentially intervened to secure a tournament quite late in the day.'
Mr Swinney added that the Government provides cash to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) in St Andrews. 'If the principle is good enough for the R&A, it's good enough for Trump International,' he said.
Asked about his relationship with Mr Trump following his first face-to-face meetings with the leader, Mr Swinney said there had been 'very good and courteous' conversations between the two. 'I think we talked well about the issues that matter to the people of Scotland,' he said.
'He has a deep affinity with Scotland, so he's got a warmth and an empathy towards Scotland and he was interested in all the issues that I was raising about Scotland. 'So I think we had a very welcome opportunity to engage in dialogue and to build a relationship.'
Asked if he believes that positive relationship will continue into the future, the First Minister said he does, adding the president ended the meeting by urging him to contact the US administration should he wish to raise any issues.
'I intend to take him up on that issue, because my job as First Minister of Scotland is to promote and protect the interests of the country and I can engage constructively with the president of the United States to do that,'
Mr Swinney added. As well as a meeting early on Tuesday, the First Minister was also invited to a dinner on Monday evening at the Aberdeenshire club alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Over a meal of langoustines and beef, the First Minister had his first face-to-face meeting with the US president – having spoken over the phone after his election win last November.
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