JD Vance lands in Scotland for next leg of UK holiday
Vance is on a private family holiday, and will stay in a plush country estate in the outskirts of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.
The vice-president arrived on Air Force Two at Prestwick Airport and was expected to be driven a short distance to Hulford in a motorcade.
His arrival comes just weeks after President Donald Trump was in Scotland, where he played golf on his courses at Turnberry and in Aberdeenshire.
Vance will stay at Carnell Estates, a privately owned estate which has a 14th century tower and 10-bedroom mansion situated on over 2,000 acres of land.
The estate is about a 40-minute drive away from Trump's Turnberry golf club.
Police Scotland previously confirmed they had plans in place for "a significant policing operation."
Officers were seen at the estate ahead of Vance's arrival on Wednesday and some road closures were in place.
A number of protests are expected to take place during the visit, including one outside Carnell Estate.
On Tuesday, Vance met US troops stationed at the Royal Air Force Base in Fairford, Gloucestershire, where he received a briefing on the base's capabilities.
While not on official White House business, he met David Lammy for talks about Gaza and other international affairs at the foreign secretary's official residence, Chevening House, in Kent on Friday.
Lammy has since referred himself to a watchdog after photos emerged of the pair fishing without the correct license.
Vance also met Conservative MP's Robert Jenrick and Chris Philp and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Earlier this year the vice-president criticised Scotland over buffer zones which prevent demonstrations or vigils taking place close to abortion clinics.
He used the new law as an example of Europe not protecting free speech enough and used a speech in Munich to claim "even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law".
Gillian Mackay, the MSP behind the legislation, said at the time the comments were inaccurate.
She said: "This is shocking and shameless misinformation from VP Vance, who is either very badly informed about what my Act has done or he is knowingly misrepresenting it."
However, Vance has also described himself as a "Scots-Irish hillbilly at heart" in the past, with his ancestors having moved to the Appalachian region in the US more than three centuries ago.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: "The Scottish government continues to work collaboratively with partners, including the UK government and Police Scotland, to manage the impact of a potential visit by the US Vice President to Scotland."
JD Vance meets Jenrick and Philp in Cotswolds
Police Scotland preparing for potential JD Vance visit
Lammy admits fishing without licence on Vance trip
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Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
JD Vance UK Fishing Trip Broke the Law
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. JD Vance's fishing trip in England was technically illegal because British Foreign Secretary David Lammy did not have the required rod license. The Foreign Office said Lammy described the lapse as an "administrative error," that he had written to the British Environment Agency to notify them and that he had now purchased the relevant licenses. It is not yet clear whether Vance had a license—Newsweek has contacted his team, via email, for comment. Why it Matters David Lammy's admission matters because it involves a senior UK minister and a visiting senior U.S. official, raising questions about compliance with domestic laws and attention to detail during high-profile diplomatic engagements. Illegal freshwater fishing in England and Wales carries potential penalties, including fines of up to $3,394.76 and the seizure of equipment, making the incident a matter of public interest beyond diplomatic optics. What To Know David Lammy hosted U.S. vice president JD Vance and his family at Chevening House in Kent, southeastern England, and participated in carp fishing from a private lake on the estate before holding diplomatic discussions earlier this month. Lammy has since admitted that he did not hold the required rod fishing license at the time of the fishing and described the lapse as an "administrative oversight," according to a Foreign Office statement. Fishing licenses for trout and coarse fishing were available for a one-day period at a cost of $9.91, and the Environment Agency stressed that everyone who fished needed a license to support river and lake conservation and angling activities. The Environment Agency did not confirm whether it would issue a fine to Lammy when the BBC asked, saying enforcement decisions were assessed on a case-by-case basis. All fish caught during the visit were returned to the water. Vance's next stop in his U.K. visit was at the Cotswolds, where a protest of at least 50 demonstrators took place, with locals calling Vance "despicable" and telling him to "go home." The vice president is set to visit Scotland later. Foreign Secretary David Lammy fishes with U.S. vice president JD Vance at Chevening House in Kent, taken on August 8, 2025. Foreign Secretary David Lammy fishes with U.S. vice president JD Vance at Chevening House in Kent, taken on August 8, 2025. AP What People Are Saying U.S. vice president JD Vance joked after the fishing outing: "Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the foreign secretary did not." The British Foreign Office spokesperson said: "The foreign secretary has written to the Environment Agency over an administrative oversight that meant the appropriate licenses had not been acquired for fishing on a private lake as part of a diplomatic engagement at Chevening House last week. "As soon as the foreign secretary was made aware of the administrative error, he successfully purchased the relevant rod fishing licenses. He also wrote to the Environment Agency notifying them of the error, demonstrating how it would be rectified, and thanking them for their work protecting Britain's fisheries." The British Environment Agency said: "Everyone who goes fishing needs a license to help improve our rivers, lakes, and the sport anglers love." What Happens Next If the Environment Agency proceeded with enforcement, the statutory maximum fine for illegal freshwater fishing in England and Wales was up to $3,394.76 and could include seizure of equipment, according to government guidance cited in reporting.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
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JD Vance's Motorcade While on Vacation Comes Under Scrutiny
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. JD Vance has been mocked over the "ridiculous" scale of his motorcade during a holiday in the English countryside, by a former aide to Tony Blair. Vance and his family—including his wife, Usha, 39, and children, Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3—pitched up this week at a manor house in the Cotswolds with a full entourage. Why It Matters And the scale of the security operation appears to have caught off guard some local residents who are used to King Charles III's more discrete team when he visits his home in the area, on Highgrove Estate. U.S. Vice President JD Vance listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House on July 14, 2025. U.S. Vice President JD Vance listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House on July 14, People Are Saying Alastair Campbell was Blair's Downing Street spokesman during his time as Labour Party Prime Minister but now co-hosts a podcast, The Rest is Politics, alongside Rory Stewart, a former Conservative Party MP who once ran for party leader. On the latest episode, Campbell told Stewart: "He's then going around and, you know the Cotswolds, I mean, why does he have to have this? It's like a status symbol. As we discuss on @RestIsPolitics today when the King goes to Highgrove he has a couple of cars and maybe a motor bike outrider or two. This guy comes for a holiday and has 23 cars and a bike squad traipsing around, and the same again at his next port of call. It's about status... — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) August 13, 2025 "I was talking to somebody who saw the security operation around Vance. They said it was ridiculous. To do a three-point turn the convoy needed about an hour, you know, when it got stuck down one of these little country roads. "And he has an ambulance going after him. I mean, he's only the f****** Vice President of America. "When the king—when your friend the king—wanders off down to Highgrove, what does he have? A couple of cars?" Stewart said: "Exactly. Or when he's doing the Windsor Flower Show, he's going around shaking hand after hand after hand in the middle of a crowd in a way that American presidents or vice presidents never would." One account on X went viral with 1.6 million views and 40k likes after joking: "Dear [U.S. flag], can you please come and get Vance back from our country? He's turned up with a 27-car entourage and is demanding to know the social media handles of local residents. It's not what we do here. Please come quickly." Newsweek contacted the Vice President's Office for comment. What to Know Security is a hugely important subject to the royal family and Prince Harry mounted multiple lawsuits in an attempt to have his reinstated after quitting the palace in 2020. However, the protection detail is generally substantially smaller than the Vance's even when attending official events. Video footage showed Vance's convoy included 27 vehicles: four police motorcycle outriders, 21 unmarked cars with blacked out windows, seemingly a Ford F‑550 ambulance, and a marked police SUV. By contrast, during a recent visit to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, in July, the king's convoy included four cars and three police motorcycle outriders. King Charles's convoy passing through central Headington today on its way to the Centre for Islamic Studies — Headington News (@HeadingtonNews) July 17, 2025 The backlash against Vance's security operation was not confined to political commentators, U.K. newspaper of record The Times spoke to two older women whose usual walking route was blocked by the policing operation. "I told the police 'we are two old ladies, we are hardly terrorists'," one said. "We said 'you poor things, guarding this awful man'. It must be costing us a fortune. Another few thousand pounds down the pan." Roads and footpaths were shut, sniffer dogs deployed, and checkpoints erected, leaving elderly locals frustrated at unexpected lockdowns around their hamlet. Vance traveled to the Cotswolds from a private fishing retreat at Chevening, the grace and favor estate of the British Foreign Secretary, currently David Lammy. On the way, he had a private tour of Hampton Court Palace, which delayed public opening times, before he continued on to the Grade-II–listed manor in the Cotswolds. Upon reaching the historic Dean Manor in Oxfordshire, the motorcade set up a full-scale security perimeter. Meanwhile, The Times quoted Johnny and Pippa Hornby, the millionaire owners of Dean Manor, who apologized to locals for "the circus for the next few days," saying they hoped it would not be "too disruptive." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Newsweek
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It's Time to Restore American Leadership on International Religious Freedom
In February, following President Donald Trump's inauguration, I was in a packed International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit auditorium when Vice President JD Vance gave an speech, describing IRF as "a topic whose importance grows with each passing moment." He was right, and the landscape of oppression and persecution continues to deteriorate internationally. Regimes, often in the press for their heinous violations of human rights, destabilizing global order and peace, are some of the worst offenders. Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, leading a rogues' gallery of autocratic villains, constantly attack people of faith and places of worship in order to undermine any allegiance that is devoted to a power higher than their own. Additionally, deadly waves of violent extremism in places like Nigeria and India are devastating whole communities and going unchecked. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington,... President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. More Carlos Barria - Pool/Getty Images There are both humanitarian and deeply strategic reasons for prioritizing international religious freedom in foreign policy. Where such freedoms are safeguarded, democracy is more robust, local and regional conflicts are less likely, cross-border migration is reduced, and prosperity and the prospect of lucrative business and trade opportunities abound. Regimes that do not respect or properly defend the inalienable rights of their citizens to exercise their religious beliefs in freedom are not contributors to international peace and prosperity, and they are not reliable partners. When the United States champions this cause, it strengthens relationships with emerging democracies, builds trust with civil societies, and counters the influence of dictatorships that use religious repression as a weapon of control. President Trump in his first administration demonstrated resolute leadership in prioritizing religious freedom in foreign policy, founding the International Freedom of Religion or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), establishing and hosting annual ministerial conferences to advance the issue with governments around the world, engaging forcefully with nations that violated this right, and advocating for the release of prisoners of conscience. In his address at the IRF Summit, Vance acknowledged that effort, stating, "The first Trump administration took critical steps to protect the rights of the faithful by rescuing pastors persecuted by foreign regimes or bringing relief to faith communities facing genocidal terror from ISIS." While the comments of JD Vance, and the appointment of Marco Rubio as secretary of State—a long-devoted champion of the cause—served as encouraging indicators of the new Trump administration's commitment to advancing this issue in foreign policy, the U.S. is not meeting the standard it has set for itself or fulfilling the role the rest of the free world has come to expect. Other nations are stepping up to the plate. The Czech Republic's Robert Řehák, special envoy for holocaust, interfaith dialogue, and freedom of religion, has been an outspoken and resolute advocate for individuals imprisoned on account of their faith. He has hosted purposeful events on combatting antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate. He will be hosting the annual ministerial for the second time in Prague in November. The U.K. special envoy has launched a focused religious freedom policy platform at the U.K. Foreign Office. Germany recently made the auspicious appointment of veteran member of the Bundestag, Thomas Rachel, as its new commissioner for freedom of religion or belief following their recent elections. Many other nations are driving forward in collaboration to tackle the scourge of persecution. Nevertheless, the outsized power, influence, and resources the U.S. offers are still needed if lasting progress is to be achieved. The U.S. has traditionally served as the elder statesman and guiding light among international partners, but the State Department's absence at the head of the table this year has not gone unnoticed. Congressman Mark Walker was nominated in April to serve as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom and his background and record offer great promise. The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not yet given the nomination its consideration. At a time when the role of IRF ambassador demands both moral conviction and diplomatic skill, the pastor and former representative from North Carolina offers both. His leadership would immediately enhance America's ability to convene partners, engage international institutions, and ensure that religious liberty remains a key pillar of U.S. foreign policy. His confirmation would enable the U.S. to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its allies, contributing its considerable influence on the international stage, and working effectively and strategically to defend all who suffer because of their spiritual convictions or religious identities. While delivering on an IRF ambassador would not solve every problem, or in itself represent a giant leap forward in religious freedom policy, it would restore leadership within the State Department, empower the IRF Office to ramp up engagement, and create opportunities for much needed development and innovation in this field. Vice President Vance promised that this administration would do even more than was achieved during Donald Trump's first term to advance religious freedom at home and abroad. With the ongoing rise of authoritarianism around the world, extremists operating at liberty, and faith communities enduring unspeakable persecution, the U.S. Senate must step up and get Walker's confirmation resolved. He and Secretary Rubio would make a powerful alliance at the State Department, strengthening American leadership on this vital issue. Miles P. J. Windsor serves as director of strategic campaigns for international strategies at the Religious Freedom Institute. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
