Donald Trump has broken ground on a new course at his resort in Aberdeenshire.
The 45th President of the United States touched down in Aberdeen on Monday morning before travelling to Trump International Scotland at Menie, near Balmedie.
He was visiting the resort as work began on a brand-new course – the MacLeod course – honouring his Scottish mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.
The new course will hug the rugged and scenic Aberdeenshire coast, with Mr Trump aiming to create one of the “great golf courses of the world”.
As he cut the ribbon to mark the start of the course’s construction, Mr Trump said: “We will build a course that will be fit to host many great championships in the future along with our championship links.
MacLeod golf course ‘will be a great success’
“We’ve had a lot of pleasure in working on this land and there is no other land like it.
“We have incredible views by the sea and there are no other dunes like these in the world. It will be a great success.”
In his remarks, Mr Trump dedicated the project to his late mother, who was born in Stornoway in 1912.
The new course has been designed by renowned golf architect Dr Martin Hawtree, who also created the current 18-hole course at the resort.
Aberdeenshire Council approved the new course in 2020 and will sit south and west of the existing course.
Mr Trump’s visit to Scotland comes as he faces charges in relation to hush money payment made during his successful 2016 election campaign, of which he denies all charges against him.
He is currently seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2024 election.
He will travel to his other Scottish resort, Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire in the coming days before heading across to Ireland to his resort at Doonbeg.
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