Marine One arrives as Scotland gears up for Trump's visit... while back home he targets old foe Obama in bizarre AI generated posts
The huge security operation began in earnest at the Ayrshire hub as US military planes and helicopters gathered ahead of his arrival on Friday.
Two US Army C17A Globemaster aircraft arrived carrying what was thought to be the S92 Marine One Presidential Helicopter.
The helicopter was spotted flying out from the HMS Gannet airbase at Prestwick yesterday in test flights around Ayrshire with US servicemen.
Last week the President claimed the UK needed to 'get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil' as he announced he will meet Sir Keir Starmer in Aberdeen.
Mr Trump hit out at the renewables drive as he prepared for his four-day private visit to open his latest golf course in Aberdeenshire.
Confirming the talks with Sir Keir, the President said his 'state meeting with the Prime Minister' will be 'up in Aberdeen, which is the oil capital of Europe'.
He added: 'They should bring it back too. They have so much oil there. They should get rid of the energy windmills and bring back the oil.'
The 79-year-old already owns two Scottish golf courses, one in Menie, Aberdeenshire, as well as Turnberry, in Ayrshire, where it is thought he will be staying.
His latest golf links is named the MacLeod Course after his mother Mary, who was born on Lewis.
It comes as Trump marked his six-month anniversary in office by posting a string of bizarre videos, including an AI-generated clip of Barack Obama being arrested at the White House and a fake mugshot of him.
The US leader told the former President to 'lawyer up' following disclosures linking Obama-era officials to the origins of the FBI Russia investigation.
The tirade came after Trump administration officials and conservative media widely promoted declassified documents suggesting Mr Obama played a central role in what Mr Trump has called the 'Russia hoax', the investigation into his administration's ties to the foreign adversary.
The doctored video portrayed Mr Obama in an orange jumpsuit, accompanied by the message 'No one is above the law'.
The footage, created by a little-known TikTok user, was one of dozens of posts uploaded to Mr Trump's Truth Social account.
A separate video with a grim reaper figure describes the most 'co-ordinated political deception in US history' regarding Mr Obama's meeting with top intelligence officials to undermine Mr Trump's original election.
'Intelligence was politicised at the highest levels under the direction of a sitting president to frame the incoming one,' the ominous figure declares. 'It was a soft coup.'
Last week, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a cache of declassified documents from the final weeks of the Obama administration, alleging they expose a 'treasonous conspiracy' to undermine Trump after his 2016 victory.
Several of Mr Trump's posts featured clips of Gabbard calling for Mr Obama to be prosecuted over claims of Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
5 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Votes for 16 year olds – what teachers think revealed with intriguing age split
Teachers are broadly in favour lowering the general election voting age but those 50s-plus are marginally against, a survey of over 9,000 shows They are arguably the best judge on 16-year-olds getting the vote but teachers are split on the issue – depending on their age. Teachers are broadly in favour but those 50s-plus are marginally against, a survey shows. It comes after it was revealed 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote at the next general election, under government plans. Critics may question the maturity of those that young helping decide who runs the country. But the move represents a win for supporters who think youngsters old enough to join the Army are ready for the responsibility. Sir Keir Starmer has described it as 'important' for 16 and 17-year-olds to have the vote. The PM highlighted how 'they're old enough to go out to work, they're old enough to pay taxes,' adding: 'I think if you pay in you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on.' And, overall, teachers are in favour of the move – with 47% either strongly or slightly agreeing the general election voting age should be 16. Only 38% disagreed, either strongly or slightly, and 15% neither agreed nor disagreed, according to a poll of over 9,000 teachers. But when the figures are looked at closely, a fascinating difference can be observed depending on teachers' age. Those in their 20s back the change 51% for to 35% against, with 30-somethings behind it 49% to 35%. Teachers in their 40s also support the move, 45% to 39%. But it is a different story for those aged 50s-plus. Though they are marginally opposed to it overall – 44% against compared to 43% backing – a gap opens up among those who feel most passionately. Among the 50-plus aged teachers who answered, 27% strongly disagreed. Teacher Tapp surveyed 9,626 secondary and primary teachers in England on 18 July on the statement 'The voting age for General Elections should be 16'. The results were weighted to reflect national teacher and school demographics. It comes after Labour 's manifesto last year pledged: 'We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.' And earlier this month, the government confirmed the move with Minister for Democracy Rushanara Ali declaring: 'By delivering our manifesto commitment to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds, we are taking a generational step forward in restoring public trust and boosting engagement in UK democracy…' Naomi Smith, chief executive of campaign group Best for Britain, said the change was "a brave choice set to benefit generations to come". But in the Commons, Tory shadow communities minister Paul Holmes questioned: "Why does this Government think a 16-year-old can vote but not be allowed to buy a lottery ticket, an alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even stand in the elections they're voting in?" The Greens and Lib Dems both welcomed the decision. The voting age was lowered to 18 in 1969. And 16-year-olds are already able to vote in Scottish and Welsh elections.
BBC News
5 minutes ago
- BBC News
Security tightens as Donald Trump tees off at Turnberry
A major security operation is ramping up as Donald Trump begins a four-day private visit in US president arrived at Prestwick Airport on Friday evening and stayed at his luxury golf resort, Trump Turnberry in South a white "USA" cap and accompanied by his second son Eric, he teed off for a round of golf at about 10:15 on his first morning at the is due to meet UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney over the next few days, as well as opening a second 18-hole course at his estate in Aberdeenshire. The president has said "it's great to be in Scotland" and has praised the leaders of both governments.A number of protests are expected to be held to coincide with the visit, including demonstrations in Edinburgh and Aberdeen have already been raised about the scale of the visit and the security implications, with police representatives raising concerns about the costs involved and the impact on staffing. Journalists, photographers and plane watchers were among the crowds who gathered to see Air Force One touch down at Prestwick just before 20:30 on was greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Warren Stephens, US Ambassador to the president spoke with journalists before a motorcade made up of more than two dozen vehicles escorted him to Turnberry.A number of roads have been closed in the area while police and military personnel have been carrying out sweeps around the resort. A security checkpoint has been put in place outside the hotel and a large fence has been erected around the security remains tight around Turnberry, some golfers were able to use the Ailsa course from about 07:30 - albeit in windy and helicopters have also been circling overhead. Trump is expected to meet Starmer and Swinney on Monday while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet the president on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade US president will travel back to Washington on Tuesday and is due to return to the UK for an official state visit in his remarks to the press at Prestwick, Trump said European countries need to "get your act together" on migration, and "stop the windmills", referring to wind farms. In 2019, his company Trump International lost a long-running court battle to stop a major wind power development being built in the North Sea off argued that the project, which included 11 wind turbines, would spoil the view from his golf course at has said his meeting with Trump would present an opportunity to "essentially speak out for Scotland" on issues such as trade and the increase of business from the United States in first minister said he would also raise "significant international issues" including "the awfulness of the situation in Gaza".He urged those set to protest against the president's visit to do so "peacefully and to do so within the law". Visits to Scotland by sitting US presidents are Elizabeth hosted Dwight D Eisenhower at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire in W Bush travelled to Gleneagles in Perthshire for a G8 summit in 2005 and Joe Biden attended a climate conference in Glasgow in only other serving president to visit this century is Trump himself in 2018 when he was met by protesters including one flying a paraglider low over Turnberry, breaching the air exclusion zone around the returned in 2023, two-and-a-half years after he was defeated by will have an official state visit to the UK in September when he and First Lady Melania Trump will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in is the second state visit he has been afforded - second-term US presidents are traditionally not offered state visits and have instead been invited for tea or lunch with the monarch, usually at Windsor Castle.
Times
33 minutes ago
- Times
Starmer rejects call to recognise Palestine despite cabinet pressure
Sir Keir Starmer has rejected a call by more than 130 Labour MPs to follow Emmanuel Macron and formally recognise a Palestinian state amid concerns that the issue would overshadow President Trump's visit to the UK. The French president announced on Thursday that he would formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, increasing pressure on Starmer. Cabinet ministers have privately been urging the prime minister to do the same and on Friday more than a third of his backbenchers signed a letter calling on him to follow suit. The issue threatens to dominate Trump's four-day visit to the UK, which formally begins on Saturday. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that Macron's decision was 'reckless' and 'only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace'. 'It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7,' he added. Speaking on Friday before flying to Scotland for a four-day visit, Trump said that Macron's announcement 'doesn't matter'. 'He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight,' he said, adding: 'Here's the good news: What he says doesn't matter. It's not going to change anything.' Starmer's reluctance is likely to deepen divisions within the cabinet, with one member of the government immediately branding the response 'deeply inadequate'. A senior government source said that there were concerns that recognising a Palestinian state while Trump was visiting could derail discussions over a US-UK trade deal. Starmer is meeting Trump at his Turnberry golf course on Monday. In a statement released after talks with Macron, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, Starmer made clear that he would not bring forward an announcement. Starmer said that while he was 'unequivocal' about recognising a Palestinian state, he would only do so at a time of 'maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering'. It means that the UK will not recognise a Palestinian state until there is a ceasefire with the return of the October 7 hostages, and humanitarian aid is restored to Gaza. Starmer said: 'Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire, so desperately needed, into a lasting peace. 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering — which, of course, will always be our ultimate goal.' He said that the scenes in Gaza were 'appalling' and 'unrelenting'. 'The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible,' he said. He confirmed that the UK would participate in air-drops of aid into Gaza after Israel said that it would allow foreign countries to resume the parachuting of humanitarian supplies. The prime minister said the UK would 'pull every lever we have to get food and lifesaving support to Palestinians' and also said Britain would evacuate children who need urgent medical assistance and give them specialist treatment in this country. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. A total of 136 Labour MPs — equivalent to a third of Starmer's parliamentary party — have signed a cross-party letter calling for Britain to stand up to its 'historic responsibility' and recognise a Palestinian state. The letter was signed by 221 MPs in total. It said: 'Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step. 'British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that mandate.' • Why Israel can't brush off France's recognition of a Palestine state The letter was organised by Sarah Champion, a Labour MP and chair of the international development select committee. It was signed by 19 select committee chairs in total, including the Labour MPs Emily Thornberry, Tan Dhesi, Debbie Abrahams and Florence Eshalomi. Jess Morden, the chair of the parliamentary Labour Party, was also a signatory. Israel condemned Macron's decision. Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said the announcement 'rewards terror' and warned that a Palestinian state would be a 'launch pad to annihilate Israel'. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, voted to annex the West Bank — a move which would make a Palestinian state impossible. Itamar Ben-Gvir, national security minister and the most outspoken far-right minister in Netanyahu's cabinet, said: 'Complete halt of 'humanitarian' aid. Total occupation of the Strip. Total destruction of Hamas. Encouragement of migration. Settlement. 'This is not the alternative path — this is the royal road to securing the release of the hostages and achieving victory in the war.' • Israel and US pull out of Gaza ceasefire talks with 'selfish' Hamas Sir Jeremy Greenstock, a former British ambassador to the UN, was one of 50 diplomats who signed a letter calling for Starmer to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. He said it would go beyond 'rhetoric' and encourage countries in the Middle East to follow suit.
