Alex Salmond and Donald Trump are engaged in a heated war of words…again.
The latest argument broke out over Mr Salmond’s comments on his new LBC radio show, in which he once again stated that Mr Trump should be banned from the UK after “hateful” comments about banning Muslims from the USA.
Republican presidential hopeful Mr Trump responded by calling the former First Minister an “embarrassment to Scotland.”
The right wing billionaire said Mr Salmond was: “the genius who destroyed big sections of the Scottish landscape with ugly, money-sucking, bird-killing industrial wind mills, with oil now down at an all time low, and taxes at an all time high to pay for these monstrosities.”
Mr Trump went on to fire a volley of furious shots at the north-east politician, attacking his foreign policy and the freeing of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi by then Scottish Government justice minister Kenny MacAskill.
He said: “Additionally, and disgracefully, this is the man who freed, on humane grounds, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi because he wanted to be so kind-hearted to a terrorist who blew up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland killing 270 people. Salmond released him early so that he could die peacefully the next week, instead he lived for three years and would have lived for longer except for the conflict in Libya. Megrahi and others were laughing out loud at what a stupid man Alex Salmond is.
“Why would a terrorist that blew up an airliner with so many lives lost be released under any circumstances?! Alex Salmond is an embarrassment to Scotland.
“Turnberry, perhaps Europe’s greatest golf resort, was not properly managed. For a long period of time Turnberry, while always successful, was not properly reinvigorated with the massive amounts of capital necessary. I am investing a minimum of £200 million initially including rebuilding and renovating the great Ailsa course, a new second course and the total renovation of the magnificent Turnberry hotel which is already under construction. In future years far more money will be invested. Prior to my investment in Turnberry very little necessary capital was spent. When completed Turnberry will go to the top of the list of world’s greatest resorts and the Ailsa course will be brought to the highest standards of golf as per the request of the R&A.”
Mr Salmond, MP for Gordon, responded by calling Mr Trump a liar saying: “The problem for Mr Trump lies not with his golf courses, but with him. The golf courses are excellent. ‘The Donald’ isn’t.
“Unfortunately, his claims of the level of future investment in Scotland bear no resemblance to the reality of the last eight years. His ownership of Turnburry places it effectively out of The Open Championship circuit at a cost of £100 million to the Scottish economy.
“His legal objections to wind demonstrators in Aberdeen have thus far deprived the North East of Scotland of a vital £200 million diversification into offshore wind technology at a time of great difficulty in oil and gas.”
Mr Salmond stuck by his remarks once more blaming Mr Trump’s “damaging” statements about Mexicans and Muslims.
He said: “However, the real difficulty is his recent statements on Mexicans and Muslims, which go beyond the pale of acceptable comment and an association with him is increasingly damaging to Scotland. That is why over half a million people have signed the parliamentary petition seeking to ban him from the country!
“As far as his remarks to me are concerned, I have fought and won nine elections.
“Mr Trump has yet to win one.
“On his remarks about Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, he is out of date. Megrahi’s release was in 2009. Since then, the SNP has won an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament and 56 seats out of 59 in a UK General Election. On Megrahi, Trump is like a cracked gramophone record playing in a digital age.”
Mr Salmond then extended an invitation to Mr Trump, who currently holds an estimated 35% of Republican support in the 2016 presidential campaign trail, to call into his radio show and have it out.
Mr Salmond added: “Although, I have to admit it is very easy to issue statement after statement, tit for tat. I suggest instead Mr Trump calls into LBC next Wednesday at 4pm (GMT), where he can ask me anything he likes. The number is +44 (0)345 60 60 973. If he has a beef I’ll be happy to take his call. We’ll see if debating here is as easy as debating over there!”