Trump opens golf course in Scotland after ‘stopping a war'
After a five-day trip to Scotland dominated by golf buggy diplomacy and the announcement of an EU trade deal, he proceeded onto his new 'Mona Lisa' course at Menie in Aberdeenshire behind a bagpiper and band.
The US president was watched by members of his family and VIPs, including John Swinney, the first minister of Scotland; Danny Alexander, the former Liberal Democrat politician; Robbie Fowler, the former footballer; Gianfranco Zola, now a football manager, and the Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko.
On the final day of his visit, Trump said: 'We'll play it very quickly and then we'll go back to DC and put out fires all over the world. We did one yesterday, as you know. We stopped a war. We've stopped about five wars, so that's much more important than playing golf, as much as I like it.'
Standing on the green with sons, Eric and Donald Jr, and Donald Jr's children, Spencer and Chloe, the president acknowledged that he had not always seen eye to eye with the locals, who had staged a protest beyond the security cordons on Monday, but insisted that they 'love' him now.
He said: 'We started with a beautiful piece of land, but we made it much more beautiful. And the area has welcomed us. If you remember, at the beginning, it wasn't quite a welcome, but it wasn't bad. But with time, they've liked us more and more. Now they love us and we love them.'
Before the ceremony, which was delayed while the president practised his swing in the driving range, loudspeakers blared out Hot Stuff and Greased Lightning along with tracks from the Beach Boys and Jerry Lee Lewis.
A US flag flew beside a Scottish flag as White House staff wore 'Trump Scotland' branded clothing.
Trump told his guests that the 'unbelievable development' was only possible when 'Sean Connery said 'let the bloody bloke build his golf course''.
Showing that he has inherited his father's tendency towards hyperbole, Eric Trump said he had taken on his father's passion project when he 'went off to do larger things and save the free world'.
He said: 'We had an unlimited budget and we exceeded it. This was his Mona Lisa. My father's always said some people really appreciate the painting on the wall. And he never did, right?
'For him, creating this, these beautiful sculpting dunes, sculpting the land. That was always his painting.
'So I hope today we honour the greatest man I know. Our best friend, a person who has led this company for 30 years and now leads the most powerful nation in the world and is doing a hell of a job.'
The keen golfer took the new course for a spin
EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
Earlier, the president held a 15-minute meeting with Swinney. It is understood that they discussed Gaza and oil and gas taxation in the North Sea before posing for a picture.
Swinney said it had followed a 'pleasant dinner' on Monday evening when the talk 'around the table' had focused on the Open Championship, which Trump hopes will return to his course at Turnberry.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer travelled from Turnberry to Menie with Trump on board Marine One, the president's helicopter, for what the US president said was a special 'preview' for the prime minister.
A Hollywood-style promotional video for the new course showed Trump wearing a 'Trump International' blue bobble hat as he examines the plans for the links, which boasts 'the world's largest natural bunker'.
He is seen saying: 'So let's see, 18 is going to be incredible. Why aren't we moving this green? I want to see the ocean. This is incredible'.
Upon arrival, guests travelled past Trump MacLeod House, renamed in 2008 after Trump's Scottish-born mother Mary Anne MacLeod, 'to reflect its status as the Scottish residence of Donald J Trump'. A huge US flag flies from a flagpole outside the building designed by the architect John Smith in 1835.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the president drove off the first tee, followed by his son, Eric, and Paul McGinley, the professional golfer.
The president strolled to the first tee at the new course
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
As a final hurrah, fireworks were set off, emitting red, white and blue smoke streams.
When a journalist shouted out to ask what Trump would say to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, Trump replied that as US president he was simply 'trying to get the world straightened out'.
There was clearly no time for more questions as the music immediately cranked up. The president had golf to play.
Swinney said that while the cost of the five-day visit had been 'significant' for Scotland, it had been worth it for the 'opportunity'.
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