Trump to hit Scottish links as protesters set to rally
Mr Trump's arrival at his Turnberry resort has turned this picturesque and normally quiet area of southwest Scotland into a virtual fortress, with roads closed and police checkpoints in place.
Officers on quad bikes, police sniffer dogs and horses patrolled the storied links - which has hosted four men's British Opens - and its adjacent sandy beaches and grass dunes that hug the course.
The 79-year-old leader touched down at nearby Prestwick Airport yesterday evening, as hundreds of curious onlookers came out to see Air Force One and try to catch a glimpse of its famous passenger.
The 45th and 47th president has professed a love of Scotland, where his mother was born, but has controversial politics and business investments in the country have made for an uneasy relationship.
Unsurprisingly, his five-day visit has divided the local community.
"A lot of people don't trust Trump and I'm one of them. I think the man is a megalomaniac," retiree Graham Hodgson said.
"He's so full of himself. I think he's doing a lot of damage worldwide with his tariffs. And I think it's all for the sake of America, but at the moment I think America is playing the price as well for his policies."
But at Prestwick Airport a boy held a sign that read "Welcome Trump" while a man waved a flag emblazoned with Mr Trump's most famous slogan - "Make America Great Again".
"I think the best thing about Trump is he's not actually a politician yet he's the most powerful man in the world and I think he's looking at the best interests of his own country," said 46-year-old Lee McLean, who had travelled from nearby Kilmarnock.
"Most politicians should really be looking at the best interests of their own country first before looking overseas, which unfortunately most leaders of the world actually do," he said.
Mr Trump's visit has seen Police Scotland embark on a massive security operation in which it has asked for support from other forces around the UK to bolster officer numbers.
The Stop Trump Coalition has announced demonstrations near the US consulate in the Scottish capital Edinburgh and another in Aberdeen, where Mr Trump owns another golf resort, for Saturday.
Police will also be monitoring any other protests that might spring up near Turnberry.
With no public meetings in the diary for Saturday, Mr Trump was expected to jump in his golf cart and play what he called yesterday "the best course anywhere in the world".
He is due to discuss trade with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tomorrow and is also due to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer while in Scotland.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
23 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
‘Worrying time for Irish in US' as Trump makes good on illegals promise
A leading immigration activist in New York said yesterday that 'this is a worrying time for the Irish in America'. Ciaran Staunton, head of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, said the recent deportation of thousands of undocumented people from the US is not just confined to immigrants from Central and South America. Mr Staunton is campaigning to legalise the status of the undocumented Irish in the US. Mr Staunton is campaigning to legalise the status of the undocumented Irish in the US. Pic: Rolling News He said: 'It's a worrying time because Donald Trump told his voters he would remove all undocumented persons or illegal immigrants prior to his election last November, and now he is sending out a message that he's following up on that promise. 'This has become a big media story with criminal aliens being lined up before the cameras to show that the president is honouring his word. Some of those detained were actually arrested in courthouses while facing prosecutions for crime.' The comments come after it emerged 56 undocumented Irish people have been arrested and 43 of them have been deported. The arrests were in New York, Boston and New Jersey and are believed to be focused on Irish visitors to America who overstayed their 90-day visa waiver. Mr Staunton, who emigrated to New York from Westport, County Mayo, in the early 1980s, said Mr Trump has to play to his Republican Party base, as the midterm elections to the US House of Representatives will take place in November next year. Pic: File Mr Staunton, who emigrated to New York from Westport, County Mayo, in the early 1980s, said Mr Trump has to play to his Republican Party base, as the midterm elections to the US House of Representatives will take place in November next year. If the Republicans lose control of the House and the Senate in the elections, Trump will struggle to pass legislation for the remaining two years of his second presidential term. Mr Staunton said: 'Even though Trump is doing what he promised, there are signs emerging of a backlash from his hardcore support group. In red States such as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, Republican farmers are becoming increasingly unhappy. If the Republicans lose control of the House and the Senate in the elections, Trump will struggle to pass legislation for the remaining two years of his second presidential term. Pic:'Where once they had a steady supply of Hispanic labour to pick fruit, or abattoirs had people to cut meat or do jobs that entailed getting your hands dirty, that source of personnel has started to dry up, and these are jobs the average American will not do.' Somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 undocumented Irish people are estimated to be living in the US. Most of them moved there in the 1980s when unemployment in Ireland reached a high of 17% in 1986. The US government clamped down on casual immigration following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, and anyone who overstays a 90-day visa waiver faces severe consequences. The situation has been made all the more complicated for the Irish who emigrated in the 1980s and do not have legal status. Now, 40 years or so later, they cannot return to Ireland even for the funeral of a parent, as to do so will result in an automatic ban on re-entering the States.
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Thailand and Cambodia truce talks due as strikes continue
Thailand and Cambodia's leaders are due to meet for peace talks, as a festering territorial dispute along their shared frontier dragged into a fifth day of open combat. At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since Thursday as the countries fight over a smattering of contested ancient temples. In an effort initiated by US President Donald Trump, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet at 8am Irish time in Kuala Lumpur. China is also expected to send a delegation. Ahead of the talks, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and accusations. "We do not believe Cambodia is acting in good faith, based on their actions in addressing the issue," Mr Phumtham told reporters as he departed Bangkok airport. "They need to demonstrate genuine intent, and we will assess that during the meeting." Cambodia's defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said today was "the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia's territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops". In Thailand's Surin city, 30km from the border and a hub for evacuees fleeing the fighting, 58-year-old Lamduan Chuenjit shared her leader's scepticism. "I hope the negotiation goes well today and ends with a ceasefire," the cleaner said while sweeping a shopfront. "But I do wonder how trustworthy Cambodia is." On the eve of the talks, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camping in one of the contested temples, and accused Cambodia of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. It said fighting was ongoing at seven areas along the rural border region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and agricultural land where locals farm rubber and rice. "The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations," the Thai military statement read. On Saturday, President Trump said he made a late-night call to both leaders, who agreed to "quickly work out" a truce. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the summit, which will be mediated by Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim, was also organised "with the participation of China", a key trade and political ally. "The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate ceasefire, which was initiated by President Donald Trump and agreed to by both prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand," Mr Hun Manet said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US officials "are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts", while Mr Anwar told domestic media he would focus on securing an "immediate ceasefire". Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marks his 73rd birthday today, but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said his public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace have been cancelled amid the strife. Mr Trump has threatened both countries with eye-watering levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals, saying he would "look forward" to signing them once "Peace is at hand". Both sides have agreed to a truce in principle, while accusing the other of undermining peace efforts and trading allegations about the use of cluster bombs and targeting of hospitals. Thailand says eight of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed eight civilian and five military deaths. The Thai military said it has returned the bodies of 12 Cambodian soldiers killed in combat. More than 138,000 people have fled Thailand's border regions, while around 80,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia. With the skirmish enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand warned its citizens to "refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action" against Cambodian migrants living in the country.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
EU-US trade deal brings 'temporary stability' but 'unbalanced'
A trade deal clinched by the United States and the European Union will provide temporary stability but is "unbalanced," a French minister has said. The deal reached yesterday in talks between US President Donald Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland "will provide temporary stability... but it is unbalanced," Benjamin Haddad, the French minister for Europe, wrote on X. The agreement will see EU exports taxed at 15% in a bid to resolve a transatlantic tariff stand-off that threatened to explode into a full-blown trade war. US President Donald Trump emerged from a high-stakes meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf resort in Scotland, describing the deal as the "biggest ever". The moment Trump and von der Leyen announce EU-US trade deal The deal, which the leaders struck in around an hour, came as the clock ticked down on a 1 August deadline to avoid an across-the-board US levy of 30% on European goods. "We've reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody. This is probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity," said Mr Trump. Mr Trump said a baseline tariff of 15% would apply across the board, including for Europe's crucial automobile sector, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. As part of the deal, Mr Trump said the 27-nation EU bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion worth of energy" from the United States, as well as make $600 billion in additional investments. Ms Von der Leyen said the "significant" purchases of US liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels would come over three years, as part of the bloc's bid to diversify away from Russian sources. Negotiating on behalf of the EU's 27 countries, Ms von der Leyen had been pushing hard to salvage a trading relationship worth an annual $1.9 trillion in goods and services. "It's a good deal," the EU chief told reporters. "It will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," she said. She added that bilateral tariff exemptions had been agreed on a number of "strategic products", notably aircraft, certain chemicals, some agricultural products and critical raw materials. Ms Von der Leyen said the EU still hoped to secure further so-called "zero-for-zero" agreements, notably for alcohol, which she hoped to be "sorted out" in coming days. Mr Trump also said EU countries - which recently pledged to ramp up their defence spending within NATO - would be purchasing "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of military equipment". 'Best we could get' The EU has been hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Mr Trump reclaimed the White House. It is currently subject to a 25% levy on cars, 50% on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatened to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal scenario. The bloc had been pushing hard for tariff carve-outs for critical industries from aircraft to spirits, and its auto industry, crucial for France and Germany, is already reeling from the levies imposed so far. "15% is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get," acknowledged Ms von der Leyen. Any deal will need to be approved by EU member states - whose ambassadors, on a visit to Greenland, were updated by the commission yesterday morning. They were set to meet again after the deal struck in Scotland. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the agreement will "help protect many jobs in Ireland". The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the deal for bringing "a measure of much-needed certainty", but that it "regrets" the baseline tariff. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rapidly hailed the deal, saying it avoided "needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations". But German exporters were less enthusiastic. The powerful BDI federation of industrial groups said the accord would have "considerable negative repercussions" while the country's VCI chemical trade association said the accord left rates "too high". The EU had pushed for a compromise on steel that could allow a certain quota into the United States before tariffs would apply. Mr Trump appeared to rule that out, saying steel was "staying the way it is", but the EU chief insisted later that "tariffs will be cut and a quota system will be put in place" for steel. 'The big one' While 15% is much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods, which average around 4.8%, it mirrors the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10%. Had the talks failed, EU states had greenlit counter tariffs on $109 billion (€93 billion) of US goods, including aircraft and cars to take effect in stages from 7 August. Mr Trump has embarked on a campaign to reshape US trade with the world and has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariffs if they do not reach a pact with Washington by 1 August.
