Donald Trump has landed at Aberdeen Airport today for a visit to his golf course and hotel at Balmedie.
The 45th President of the United States has two golf courses in Scotland, including Trump International Links in Aberdeen and Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire.
He was initially expected to land at around 9.30am at Aberdeen International Airport. However, he didn’t arrive until about 11.30am.
A red carpet was rolled out for Trump when he arrived in a wet and windy Dyce after swapping it for his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where it is due to be 30C today.
As Trump’s massive private Boeing 757 touched the tarmac his convoy team swooped and the red carpet was rolled out.
Pipers provided a traditional Scottish welcome for the former president and his son Eric Trump.
After emerging from the plane he stood at the door at the top of the steps and waved at the sea of cameras pointing at him.
As he walked down the steps he could be seen to shout it’s “good to be home” to the crowd while referencing his mother, who was born on Lewis in the Western Isles.
He stood for a few moments to speak to his welcome party, including Sarah Malone who heads up the Trump International operations at Menie, before getting into a car and setting off towards Balmedie without answering questions.
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Writing on his own social media platform, Truth Social, the tycoon said he will be opening a “spectacular” second course at the controversial Menie Estate during the visit.
Ahead of taking off in the US, he wrote: “Will be leaving for Scotland & Ireland soon in order to see and inspect my great properties there.
Welcome back to Aberdeen Mr President! 🇺🇸🏴#Trump #TrumpInScotland pic.twitter.com/MURrg1WwmN
— Ross Thomson (@RossThomson_Abz) May 1, 2023
“The golf courses and hotels are among the greatest in the world – Turnberry and Aberdeen, in Scotland, and Doonbeg, in Ireland.
“Will be meeting with many wonderful friends, and cutting a ribbon for a new and spectacular second course in Aberdeen.
“Very exciting despite the fact that it is ‘make America great again’ that is on my mind, in fact, America will be greater than ever before.”
He purchased the land in 2007, intending to build “the world’s best golf course” at a cost of £1 billion.
The 18-hole course eventually opened in 2012, with Trump visiting several times over the years.
There were rumours he was due to visit in August last year, but the trip didn’t happen amidst his ongoing legal battles in the US.
Trump is currently pursuing the Republican nomination for the President of the United States in the 2024 election.
He is also facing several legal battles, having appeared before a New York judge earlier this month on indictment for alleged campaign finance violations to which he pled not guilty.
Big losses at Balmedie golf course
Trump is well-known for his love of golf and Scotland, having deep Scottish roots.
His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in Stornoway in 1912, and Trump pays tribute to his mother by naming the hotel in Aberdeen, Trump MacLeod House & Lodge.
However, it was announced in February that the Aberdeen resort suffered pre-tax losses of nearly £697,000 in 2021.
The former president transferred his Scottish business interests to the trust, controlled by his two adult sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr, to avoid conflicts of interest after he took office in 2017.
Trump is expected to visit Ireland later this week on Wednesday, where he intends to stay at Trump International Hotel & Golf Links on the outskirts of Doonbeg in County Clare.
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