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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Opinion: Trump and Farage are the only grown-ups in the room
As a lifelong fan of dystopian writers such as HP Lovecraft and Mervyn Peake, I've always been fascinated by strange universes and parallel dimensions, places where the rules of physics don't apply. Well, this week it felt like I had woken up in one. The usual parameters of power seemed to have been replaced by an upside-down world in which almost nothing made sense. How else would you describe a situation in which Donald Trump increasingly seems like the only grown-up in the room? Trump's mini state visit this week, to his golf courses in Turnberry and Balmedie, met with all the usual protests and was beset by one or two unintentionally comical moments. But when it came down to it, his encounter with Sir Keir Starmer was a masterclass in the kind of statesmanlike power-play that the American President is increasingly demonstrating. Let's face it, he can be childish and petulant at times: just look at how he treated Ukraine 's President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. But this time he was a model of restraint, in particular on Gaza. Trump said what everyone, even the staunchest supporters of Israel must now acknowledge: that we are seeing 'real starvation' in the region, adding that 'those children look very hungry' and 'you can't fake that'. He stressed that the top priority was making sure aid got through and reiterated the US's commitment to working with the EU to establish food centres across Gaza. He topped that off with a reminder to Israel that it was their duty to allow 'every ounce of food' into the Strip. On the question of recognising a Palestinian state – the current political hot potato – he was calm and measured, simply saying he was 'not going to take a position on Palestinian statehood at the moment'. Blimey. Can this really be the same President Trump who, back in February, was advocating taking over Gaza, relocating its citizens and turning it into a Levantine Las Vegas? Such compassionate, reasoned analysis of the situation is not what his detractors have come to rely on. They must be absolutely livid. As if that weren't enough, he then proceeded to offer a blisteringly accurate analysis of Starmer's political woes, urging him to cut taxes, get tough on illegal immigration and ditch the obsession with wind energy in favour of North Sea oil and natural gas. The cherry on the cake was his frank and accurate assessment of Sadiq Khan: 'I'm not a fan... I think he's done a terrible job.' This is something every single person I know, even Labour-voting London friends of mine, would heartily agree with. I must confess that in the past I really haven't been keen on Trump. And there remain lots of unanswered questions around him, particularly when it comes to his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein. But in terms of the issues currently facing America, Britain and the wider world, you would be hard pushed to say that his judgment this week has been anything other than spot on. His handling of the EU was masterful, too. He effectively negotiated them into a corner on a trade deal, as many of them have belatedly realised. So after years of political paralysis and diplomatic stagnation, Trump finally seems to be getting somewhere. Against a backdrop of ineffectual leadership, this feels encouraging – and perhaps even exciting. Again, an unfamiliar feeling of late. And the truth is when politicians show that they can get things done, the public are far more inclined to overlook their personal shortcomings. While Trump's own character failings are admittedly quite hard to ignore, his best defence against his enemies is his sheer effectiveness – and that's what we've seen this week. Whatever you think about him, no one can deny that he's a man of action. He has that pragmatic, objective business brain that knows how to see a situation for what it is, not what one would wish it to be. What I can't quite tell, though, is whether this is simply a function of the 'mainstream' political class being so utterly useless – an 'in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king' situation – or whether Trump has actually sobered up a bit and started to take his political responsibilities seriously. My feeling is that it's the latter. This may partly explain his fall in popularity among his core MAGA base, who loved him when he pretended to be as swivel-eyed as they are but are unhappy with his failure to release the putative 'Epstein files' said to implicate high-ranking business tycoons and other politicians with the late paedophile, or with his willingness to bomb Iran's nuclear sites. But Trump may find that what he loses there he will gain elsewhere, among more moderate, middle-class Americans who, like moderate, middle-class Brits, just want some semblance of law, order and fairness restored. His 'good friend' and British mini-me, Nigel Farage, is entering similar territory. Far from imploding under the pressure of public scrutiny, as his rivals had hoped and, to some extent, been counting on, the Reform leader also seems to be gaining in credibility. Increasing numbers of my small-c conservative friends are now starting to tell me they could 'see themselves' voting for him: a year ago, that would have been unthinkable. There is an army of 'shy Faragistes' out there – and it's growing. Again, in what mad parallel universe does Farage now sound sensible and sane? The answer is, one where the prevailing political class has completely lost its credibility, its moral compass – and its cojones. Could it be that after years of obfuscation and gaslighting, we are now entering a brave new world of politicians who tell it like it is and get the job done? One hardly dares to hope. What a strange and alien place that would be. But thrilling, nonetheless.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump Caps His Scottish Visit by Opening a New Golf Course
US President Donald Trump opened a new golf course bearing his name in Scotland on Tuesday, capping a five-day foreign trip designed around promoting his family's luxury properties and playing golf. 'Let's go. 1-2-3,' Trump said before he cut a red ribbon and fireworks popped to mark the official opening of the new Trump course in the village of Balmedie on Scotland's northern coast. 'This has been an unbelievable development,' Trump said before the opening. He thanked his son Eric for his work on the project, saying it was 'truly a labor of love for him.' Son Don Jr. also was present. Immediately after the opening, Trump, Eric Trump and two professional golfers in the foursome teed off on the first hole. They planned to play 18 holes before Trump returns to Washington. The overseas jaunt let Trump escape Washington's sweaty summer humidity. It was mostly built around golf — and walking the new course before it officially begins offering rounds to the public on Aug. 13. Billing itself the 'Greatest 36 Holes in Golf,' the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, was designed by Eric Trump. The course is hosting a PGA Seniors Championship event later this week, after Trump leaves. Signs promoting the event had already been erected all over the course before he arrived on Tuesday, and, on the highway leading in, temporary metal signs guided drivers onto the correct road. Golfers hitting the course at dawn as part of that event had to put their clubs through metal detectors erected as part of the security sweeps ahead of Trump's arrival. Several dozen people, some dressed for golf, including wearing cleats, had filled the sand trap near the tee box to watch the ribbon-cutting ceremony shortly before it was scheduled to start. Another group of people were watching from the other side in tall grass growing on sand dunes flanking the first hole. Also from Scotland's north is the president's late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis, immigrated to New York and died in 2000 at age 88. 'My mother loved Scotland,' Trump said during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday at another one of his golf courses, Turnberry, on Scotland's southern coast. 'It's different when your mother was born here.' Trump used his trip to meet with Starmer and reach a trade framework for tariffs between the US and the European Union's 27 member countries — though scores of key details remain to be hammered out. But the trip has featured a lot of golf, and having the president visit is sure to raise the new course's profile. Trump's assets are in a trust, and his sons are running the family business while he's in the White House. Visible from various parts of the new course were towering windmills lining the coast — some with blades that showed visible dots of rust. They are part of a nearby windfarm that Trump sued to block construction of in 2013. The new golf course will be the third owned by the Trump Organization in Scotland. Trump bought Turnberry in 2014 and owns another course near Aberdeen that opened in 2012. Trump golfed at Turnberry on Saturday as protesters took to the streets, and on Sunday. He invited Starmer, who famously doesn't golf, aboard Air Force One so the prime minister could get a private tour of his Aberdeen properties before Tuesday's ceremonial opening. 'Even if you play badly, it's still good,' Trump said of golfing on his course over the weekend. 'If you had a bad day on the golf course, it's OK. It's better than other days.' Trump also found time to praise Turnberry's renovated ballroom, which he said he'd paid lavishly to upgrade — even suggesting that he might install one like it at the White House. 'I could take this one, drop it right down there," Trump joked. 'And it would be beautiful.'
CBS News
a day ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump wraps up golf-filled Scotland visit by opening new golf course bearing his name
President Trump opened a new golf course bearing his name in Scotland on Tuesday, capping a five-day foreign trip designed around promoting his family's luxury properties and playing golf. "Let's go. 1-2-3," Trump said before he cut the red ribbon. Trump and his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., were also set to play the first-ever round at the new Trump course in the village of Balmedie, on the northern coast of Scotland. "This has been an unbelievable development," Mr. Trump said before the ceremonial opening. He thanked his son Eric for his work on the project, saying it was "truly a labor of love for him." The overseas jaunt enabled Mr. Trump escape Washington's sweaty summer humidity and the still-raging scandal over the case of Jeffrey Epstein. It was mostly built around golf - and walking the new course before it officially begins offering rounds to the public on Aug. 13, adding to a lengthy list of ways the president has used the White House to promote his brand. Billing itself the "Greatest 36 Holes in Golf," the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, was designed by Eric Trump. The course is hosting a PGA Seniors Championship event later this week, after Mr. Trump leaves. Signs promoting the event had already been erected all over the course before he arrived on Tuesday and, on the highway leading in, temporary metal signs guided drivers onto the correct road. Golfers hitting the course at dawn as part of that event had to put their clubs through metal detectors erected as part of the security sweeps ahead of his arrival. Several dozen people, some dressed for golf, including wearing cleats, had filled the sand trap near the tee box to watch the ribbon-cutting ceremony shortly before it was scheduled to start. Another group of people was watching from the other side in tall grass growing on sand dunes flanking the first hole. Also from Scotland's north is the president's late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis, immigrated to New York and died in 2000 at age 88. "My mother loved Scotland," Mr. Trump said during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday at another one of his golf courses, Turnberry, on Scotland's southern coast. "It's different when your mother was born here." Mr. Trump used his trip to meet with Starmer and reach a trade framework for tariffs between the U.S. and the European Union's 27 member countries - though scores of key details remain to be hammered out. But the trip has featured a lot of golf, and having the president visit is sure to raise the new course's profile. Mr. Trump's assets are in a trust, and his sons are running the family business while he's in the White House. Any business generated at the course will ultimately enrich the president when he leaves office though. Visible from various parts of the new course were towering windmills lining the coast - some with blades that showed visible dots of rust. They are part of a nearby windfarm that Mr. Trump sued to block construction of in 2013. He lost that case and was eventually ordered to pay legal costs for bringing it - and the issue still enrages him. During the meeting with Starmer, Mr. Trump called windmills "ugly monsters" and suggested they were part of "the most expensive form of energy." "I restricted windmills in the United States because they also kill all your birds," the president said. "If you shoot a bald eagle in the United States, they put you in jail for five years. And windmills knock out hundreds of them. They don't do anything. Explain that." Starmer said in the U.K, "we believe in a mix" of energy, including oil and gas and renewables. The new golf course is the third owned by the Trump Organization in Scotland. Mr. Trump bought Turnberry in 2014 and owns another course near Aberdeen that opened in 2012. Mr. Trump golfed at Turnberry on Saturday as protesters took to the streets, and on Sunday. He invited Starmer, who famously doesn't golf, aboard Air Force One so the prime minister could get a private tour of his Aberdeen properties before Tuesday's ceremonial opening. "Even if you play badly, it's still good," Mr. Trump said of golfing on his course over the weekend. "If you had a bad day on the golf course, it's OK. It's better than other days." Mr. Trump also found time to to praise Turnberry's renovated ballroom, which he said he'd paid lavishly to upgrade - even suggesting that he might install one like it at the White House. "I could take this one, drop it right down there," Mr. Trump joked. "And it would be beautiful."
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Tributes paid to police officer after gunman kills four in shooting at Manhattan skyscrape
Update: Date: 2025-07-29T09:35:41.000Z Title: Trump caps his Scottish visit by opening a new golf course Content: President Donald Trump is opening a new golf course bearing his name in Scotland on Tuesday, capping a five-day foreign trip designed around promoting his family's luxury properties and playing golf. Trump and his sons, Eric and Donald Jr, are cutting the ceremonial ribbon and playing the first-ever round at the new Trump course in the village of Balmedie, on the northern coast of Scotland, AP reported. The overseas jaunt let Trump escape Washington's sweaty summer humidity and the still-raging scandal over the case of Jeffrey Epstein. It was mostly built around golf — and walking the new course before it officially begins offering rounds to the public on Aug. 13, adding to a lengthy list of ways Trump has used the White House to promote his brand. Billing itself the 'Greatest 36 Holes in Golf,' the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, was designed by Eric Trump. The course is hosting a PGA Seniors Championship event later this week, after Trump leaves. Signs promoting the event had already been erected all over the course before he arrived on Tuesday, and, on the highway leading in, temporary metal signs guided drivers onto the correct road. Golfers hitting the course at dawn as part of that event had to put their clubs through metal detectors erected as part of the security sweeps ahead of Trump's arrival. Several dozen people, some dressed for golf, including wearing cleats, had filled the sand trap near the tee box to watch the ribbon-cutting ceremony shortly before it was scheduled to start. Another group of people were watching from the other side in tall grass growing on sand dunes flanking the first hole. Update: Date: 2025-07-29T09:29:19.000Z Title: Gunman kills four people in shooting at Manhattan skyscraper Content: Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. My name is Tom Ambrose and I will be bringing you all the latest news over the next few hours. We start with the news that a gunman killed four people at a Manhattan skyscraper that houses the headquarters of the NFL and the offices of several major financial firms before turning the gun on himself, New York officials have said. An NYPD officer identified as Didarul Islam, an immigrant from Bangladesh and a father of two whose wife is pregnant, was among those killed. He was working off-hours as a security guard at the time, New York mayor Eric Adams told reporters, describing him as a 'true blue hero'. Authorities offered few details about the three other victims killed by the suspect – two men and a woman. A third male was gravely wounded by the gunfire and was 'fighting for his life' in a nearby hospital, the mayor said. Jessica Tisch, the New York City police commissioner, confirmed that 'the lone shooter has been neutralized'. New York police also said the shooter acted alone and was dead. Tisch said the gunman, identified as Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old Las Vegas resident with a history of mental illness, had driven cross-country to New York in recent days. The shooting spree in the evening rush hour began in the lobby of the Park Avenue tower in Midtown Manhattan. Tisch said that surveillance videos showed the gunman exiting a double-parked Black BMW between 51st and 52nd street on Park Avenue. Read our full report here: In other developments this morning: Ghislaine Maxwell asked the supreme court to overturn her conviction for taking part in and facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes, arguing that a non-prosecution agreement with the late sex offender struck by federal prosecutors in Florida in 2008 should have barred any of his co-conspirators from prosecution as well. Donald Trump said that he did indeed bar Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club for 'inappropriate' behavior. But the president explained that what was inappropriate was not, as his aides have suggested, doing something lewd or illegal, but hiring away staff from the club. An Israeli settler who was sanctioned by Joe Biden as a violent extremist, but removed from the sanctions list by Trump, was arrested in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Monday after the fatal shooting of a Palestinian activist. The Palestinian man who was killed was denied entry to the United States last month when he arrived in San Francisco for a series of planned talks sponsored by faith groups, including a progressive Jewish synagogue. The US justice department filed a misconduct complaint against a federal judge who has clashed with the administration over deportations to a notorious prison in El Salvador over private comments first reported by a far-right publication.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Trump to make speech in Scotland
Donald Trump is set to deliver a speech at the grand opening of his new golf course in Scotland. The US president is expected to cut the ribbon at the Trump International Golf Links Aberdeen before playing a round. The event at the golf course in the village of Balmedie, just north of Aberdeen, will cap off Mr Trump's five-day visit to the UK which saw him hold talks with Sir Keir Starmer yesterday. Mr Trump used those talks to tell the Prime Minister how he should slash taxes and stamp out illegal immigration if he is to beat Reform UK and Nigel Farage. The two leaders held talks at the US president's Turnberry golf course on the Scottish coast before flying together to Aberdeen. 'You know, politics is pretty simple,' Mr Trump told Sir Keir during a press conference. 'I assume there's a thing going on between you and Nigel, and it's OK. It's two parties. 'But generally speaking, the one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the best kind of energy, the one that keeps you out of wars… a few basics.'
