Security operation shifts as Trump arrives in North East Scotland

BBC News

4 days ago

The second phase of Donald Trump's visit to Scotland is underway, with the focus of the huge security operation shifting from Turnberry on the west coast to Menie in the north east.The political focus has moved, and intensified, too. Having struck a deal on tariffs with the European Union, the US president has been discussing a variety of topics.Gaza and Ukraine featured prominently in terms of international affairs. Energy policy and the effect of Mr Trump's tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the US have come up too.In the north east of Scotland, it's not just Mr Trump's answers to some of these questions which are being scrutinised, but also those of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney.
Both leaders are attending a dinner with Mr Trump at Menie, the president's golf resort just a few miles north of Aberdeen, a city known as the oil capital of Europe.Plenty of supporters of both Sir Keir and Mr Swinney have expressed disgust at their decision to dine with the Republican.Off the coast of the resort several oil-related vessels can be seen, along with 11 wind turbines. The president tried to stop their construction and he is still angry about them.It's not just the view he doesn't like. Mr Trump has been critical of the scale, pace and nature of the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, which is the subject of intense lobbying here.Speaking alongside the Prime Minister at Turnberry earlier, Trump said: "Wind is a disaster in Scotland and across the UK."When we go to Aberdeen, you'll see some of the ugliest windmills you've ever seen."
As for Sir Keir, this is the first visit he has made to the north east since taking office just over a year ago. And he too is under pressure on the topic of energy.Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce argue that 5,000 jobs have "needlessly disappeared" from the UK's oil and gas workforce in recent years as a result of taxation levels under Conservative and Labour governments.The Prime Minister told reporters: "We believe in a mix. And obviously oil and gas is going to be with us for a very long time. "And, that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear."Trade body Offshore Energies UK, formerly known as Oil & Gas UK, welcomed his comments. Chief Executive David Whitehouse said: "If we are going to use oil and gas, let's produce it here - responsibly, with lower emissions, and with all the benefits to jobs, taxes and growth that come from homegrown supply."Words matter and today's words from the Prime Minster were very welcome. What matters even more is action."
However, climate campaigners have been highly critical. Environmental pressure group Uplift desrcibed Trump's demand for more drilling as "pure fantasy".Uplift's executive director Tessa Khan, said: "New drilling won't cut bills and, after 50 years of extraction, the basin is fast running out of gas – that's geology not a political choice. "Trump's knowledge of the North Sea is limited to his view from his golf course, so let's not listen to him when it comes to how we power our country."This view was supported by many of the protestors in Aberdeensgire who staged a demonstration outside the extensive police cordon around Mr Trump's Menie estate.They had complaints about the cost of security for the visit. And they criticised US policy on topics ranging from abortion to immigration. Campiagner Esme Houston from Aberdeen said: "We're here to tell Trump to leave, bluntly. We're not very happy with his persence in our city and in our country.Another protester, Hannah, said: "It's important to stand up for what we, as Scotland, believe in. What he's done to this community with his golf course is unacceptable.""There's issues with the environment. The community was promised things that weren't delivered. People were forced from their homes."
Protestors also demanded urgent action on Ukraine and Gaza.Jonathan Russell, chair of CND North East of Scotland, said: "We've become obsessed by war rather than dealing with problems by discussion and neogitation.""Masses of money is being made out of people being killed, whether it's in Ukraine or Gaza."Obviously the situation at present in Gaza is horrific and our government, as Trump, are all complicit with this. And it has to change."One thing remains consistent between the two halves of this trip. Golf. Mr Trump spent part of the weekend playing the game in Ayrshire and on Tuesday he will open a new 18-hole course at his Aberdeenshire resort.But among the pristine greens and carefully sculpted fairways of his luxury resorts there is no escaping those urgent, insistent questions about hunger and suffering among the ruins of war.