Trump leaves for golfing trip in Scotland
His presence is expected to spark protests across the country, with Scottish Police being forced to request aid from other forces to help increase manpower for the trip.
Trump plans to visit his golf resort in Turnberry on Scotland's west coast, where he will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, before heading to his sprawling golf property 320 kilometres away near Aberdeen in the east.
As part of the visit, he will open a second 18-hole course on the Aberdeen property named in honour of his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to America.
The White House has described the trip as "private".
Trump's visit to Scotland is in the "public interest", UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted, pointing out a recent trade deal.
"That has a tangible benefit for people here in Scotland, whether it is people working in the Scotch whisky industry or people working in the defence sector, like here at Rolls-Royce, that trade deal means lower tariffs than any country in the world on things that we send to the US," she said.
While in the UK, he will also meet Scotland's First Minister John Swinney, who had publicly backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election.
"The Scottish leader is a good man, so I look forward to meeting him," Trump said.
Swinney flagged in an interview with PA that he intended to raise the "the awfulness of the situation in Gaza and the unbearable human suffering" with Trump.
"I intend to take that opportunity to make sure that Scotland's voice is heard," he said.
The trip shows how the president has become increasingly comfortable intermingling his governing pursuits with promoting his family's business interests.
There is a massive police presence ahead of Trump's visit.
Trump has described Scotland as a "very special place" and made a similar trip there in 2016 during his first run for the presidency, but he will not necessarily get a warm welcome.
About 70% of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Trump, while 18% have a favourable opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found.
His visit requires a major police operation that will cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds as protests are planned over the weekend.
The union representing officers is concerned that they are already overworked and will be diverted from their normal duties.
The overseas travel comes as Trump faces the biggest domestic political crisis of his second term in office.
Allies and opponents alike have criticised his administration's handling of investigative files related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's criminal charges and the circumstances of his 2019 death in prison.
The issue has caused a rare breach with some of Trump's most loyal Make America Great Again supporters, and majorities of Americans and Trump's Republicans say they believe the government is hiding details on the case, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.
White House officials, frustrated by the ongoing focus on the Epstein saga, are hoping the controversy dies down while Trump is abroad, one person familiar with the matter said.
Trump will return to Britain from September 17-19 for a state visit hosted by King Charles.
It will make Trump the first world leader in modern times to undertake two state visits to Britain.
The late Queen Elizabeth hosted him at Buckingham Palace for a three-day state visit in June 2019.
with PA and Reuters
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