Golf, Gaza & The Trump Brand: How US President’s Scotland Trip Unfolded

President Donald Trump capped his five-day Scotland trip on Tuesday by ceremonially opening a new golf course in Balmedie, part of his family’s Trump International Golf Links, The Associated Press reported. The visit — blending business, diplomacy and personal touches — focussed largely on promoting the Trump brand in a country where his mother was born, the report said.

Wearing a white “USA” cap and flanked by sons Eric and Donald Jr., Trump cut the red ribbon with golden scissors. “This has been an unbelievable development,” Trump reportedly said, calling it a “labor of love” by Eric, who designed the course.

Eric Trump, while referring to his father Donald, said, “This was his passion project,” as reported by the US-based news agency. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the trio played the first hole alongside professional golfers, planning to target a full 18 holes, the report further said.

“He likes the course, ladies and gentlemen,” Eric joked after Trump’s solid opening drive.

The new course is the third Trump-owned golf property in Scotland, joining Turnberry and an earlier course near Aberdeen. Public rounds are set to begin from 13 August.

Business and a Bit of Diplomacy

Meanwhile, Trump also met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, discussing a preliminary trade framework with the bloc.

However, a substantial chunk of the Trump’s visit to Scotland centered on his golf empire. Since his assets are held in a trust and run by his sons during his presidency, any revenue proceeds generated from the course would likely benefit him after his tenure in the POTUS office.

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Trump Speaks on Gaza, Epstein and Wind Turbines

Trump also addressed several global issues. On Gaza, he said he was concerned about hunger, countering Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that there was “no starvation” in the war-ravaged territory.

“Based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry,” he said, according to AP.

Trump also said he had ordered disgraced financier and child sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein out of his private club because “he stole people that worked for me.”

A longtime critic of wind farms, Trump again railed against turbines near the new course. On the “Pod Force One” podcast, he called them “ugly windmills” and a “shame,” adding, “It kills the birds, ruins the look… Environmentally, it’s horrible.”

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