Trump set to visit Scotland for trade talks, and some golf
The 79-year-old billionaire will stay at two luxury seaside golf resorts owned by the Trump family's holding company: at Turnberry in the west, and in the eastern port city of Aberdeen.
Trump is set to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his trip across the pond, although exact details are not yet confirmed, before an expected return on Tuesday.
Starmer will hope to gauge Trump's intentions for trade with the United Kingdom, which has so far managed to avoid the punishing tariffs unleashed by Trump on dozens of other economies around the globe.
The United States and Britain announced a trade agreement in May, but Trump said earlier this month that he hopes to 'refine the trade deal that we've made,' stoking concerns in London.
Starmer, who is more of a football fan than golfer, has nevertheless managed to place himself in Trump's good graces.
During his visit to the White House, he charmed Trump with a letter from King Charles III, inviting him for a second state visit from September 17 to 19.
The Scotland trip will also allow Trump to put some distance between himself and an ongoing controversy involving his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and sex offender, and anger among his supporters over failures to release case files.
In a sign of how sensitive the issue is, the White House excluded the Wall Street Journal from press pool traveling with Trump this weekend, following an article in the newspaper about a 'bawdy' letter he allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003.
– Unwelcome visitors –
Trump has always proclaimed his love for Scotland, where his mother is from, though the feeling is not necessarily mutual.
Protests are planned to take place Saturday in Aberdeen and Edinburgh in response to his visit, with a large police operation planned.
In March, the Trump resort in Turnberry was vandalized, with the message 'GAZA IS NOT 4 SALE' sprayed across the grass, a reaction to Trump's suggestion of relocating Palestinians and turning the Gaza Strip into luxury real estate.
The Trump Organization is also set to open a new golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland, sparking discontent among locals and environmentalists.
The visit is yet another example of how Trump has blurred the line between his official duties as president and promoting the family business since returning to power in January.
The US advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in May cited 21 Trump-branded development projects that would be carried out internationally during his second term.
CREW also noted that the Trump Organization's ethics guidelines published in January did not prohibit the business from launching projects abroad with private interests, in sharp contrast to a self-imposed moratorium of such deals during Trump's first term in office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
7 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Hamas accuses Israel of stalling ceasefire talks
Shafaq News - Gaza On Sunday, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya accused Israel of delaying ceasefire negotiations while intensifying its military offensive in Gaza, warning that the enclave faces a worsening humanitarian crisis and efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians. In a televised address, al-Hayya highlighted Hamas's 'maximum flexibility' during 22 months of indirect talks, noting the group participated in every round initiated by mediators. Despite this engagement, he pointed out that Israel abruptly withdrew from the latest round with US backing. 'We engaged in tough negotiations without compromising our people's core principles,' he stated. 'We were surprised by the occupation's withdrawal and the American envoy's alignment with them.' Al-Hayya added that the recent discussions had achieved significant progress, with Hamas closely aligning with proposals from regional mediators. stressing that Israel's departure as a move to buy time and escalate military pressure on civilians. 'There is no justification for continuing negotiations while our people are being starved, bombed, and besieged,' he noted. Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate amid the stalled talks. Six Palestinians, including two children, died from starvation in the past 24 hours, raising the hunger-related death toll to 133, including 87 children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Al-Hayya described the situation as critical, with families enduring heavy casualties, widespread disease, and a blockade severely restricting access to food, water, and medicine. He also warned of a developing strategy to expel Palestinians from Gaza — either into Egypt or by sea — framing it as an attempt to undermine the Palestinian cause. Urging stronger regional action, al-Hayya called on Arab and Muslim nations to sever all ties with Israel and mobilize mass protests, boycotts, and marches toward borders, particularly in countries neighboring Palestine. 'Gaza is calling on the Arab honor and Islamic conscience — it needs action, not words,' he stressed. He further acknowledged ongoing support, including military backing from Yemen, international protests, and convoys attempting to break the blockade by land and sea.
Shafaq News
16 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Gaza starvation toll hits 133 as global protests demand aid
Shafaq News – Gaza Six more Palestinians, including two children, died from starvation in the past 24 hours, raising Gaza's hunger-related death toll to 133—87 of them children—according to the Health Ministry. Dr. Munir al-Barsh, the ministry's Director-General, warned that delays in aid and medical evacuations are accelerating Gaza's collapse and costing lives. 'Every delay is measured in funerals,' he declared, urging the immediate evacuation of critical patients—especially those with brain and spinal injuries—and the urgent entry of infant formula, therapeutic nutrition, glucose, IV antibiotics, and basic proteins. He emphasized that a humanitarian truce must function as a lifeline, not a pause. The worsening crisis has sparked protests worldwide, including a demonstration in London where thousands placed over 1,000 pots and pans outside the prime minister's office to honor those who died searching for food, prompting clashes and arrests. Protesters blocked streets in Paris demanding a ceasefire and aid access, while rallies in Berlin targeted the Egyptian Embassy and Defense Ministry. Demonstrations also erupted in Yaffa, New York, Morocco, Mauritania, Jordan, Yemen, and Tunisia. Amid mounting pressure, France confirmed it will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly on September 21, joining Spain, Ireland, and Norway—a move swiftly condemned by Israel and the United States. In the UK, the Scottish National Party vowed to force a parliamentary vote on recognition, with party leader Stephen Flynn accusing both major parties of moral failure and insisting recognition is 'an obligation, not an option.' In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced Israel's blockade as a violation of international law and referenced the emaciated infant Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq as a symbol of 'Gaza's agony,' arguing that starving children are not threatening Israel's existence. While Canberra has yet to formally recognize Palestine, Albanese said the step remains under consideration 'at the appropriate time.' Israel continues to assert that sufficient aid is reaching Gaza and faults the UN for poor distribution, a claim UN agencies reject, citing severe Israeli restrictions. Since October 7, 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry reported that more than 59,800 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, while military operations persist and humanitarian corridors remain tightly controlled despite resumed convoys and limited airdrops.
Shafaq News
21 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Cambodia-Thailand clashes resume despite ceasefire call
Shafaq News – Bangkok/Phnom Penh Fresh clashes erupted along the Cambodia–Thailand border on Sunday, just hours after US President Donald Trump claimed both nations had agreed to pursue a ceasefire. Cambodia's Defense Ministry accused Thai forces of shelling temple areas near Phnom Kmoach in Trat province, while Thailand alleged Cambodian troops targeted civilians in overnight artillery strikes. The escalation has killed more than 30—mostly civilians—and displaced over 130,000 since fighting began on July 24. Trump announced on Truth Social late Saturday that he secured verbal pledges from both countries' prime ministers to meet 'immediately' for truce talks, asserting that 'both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace.' Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet backed the initiative, urging an unconditional ceasefire and endorsing a prior Malaysian peace proposal. In turn, Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai responded cautiously, agreeing 'in principle' but demanding proof of Cambodia's sincerity before committing to talks. The conflict was reignited by a fatal May 28 border clash that killed a Cambodian soldier near the disputed Preah Vihear temple area. Although the International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, ownership of the surrounding land remains contested and has fueled repeated outbreaks of violence, including a deadly flare-up in 2011.
