Scotland\u2019s first minister criticised over talks to provide public funding for US president\u2019s resort as it hosts Nexo championship<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donald Trump has delivered a rambling exposition on his \u201copulent and beautiful\u201d golf resort at Turnberry as he continued to mix granular business interests and international diplomacy on his five-day trip to Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer<\/a>, looked on in apparent discomfort during Monday\u2019s joint press conference as Trump answered a question initially pitched about the expense of refurbishing the Federal Reserve\u2019s historic building with a lengthy detour about the maintenance on his luxury golfresort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Praising the \u201cgreat craftsmen\u201d of Ayrshire on Scotland\u2019s west coast, he described spending \u201cprobably $100m [\u00a374m]\u201d on the hotel: \u201cWe did a very great job. You see how beautiful it is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had ceilings that were in bad shape. They were falling down. It was very old. It wasn\u2019t properly maintained. Now it\u2019s brand new and beautiful, and we saved everything. If you look outside, it\u2019s equally opulent and beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Trump\u2019s use of this visit to further his business interests already in the spotlight, Scotland\u2019s first minister, John Swinney, faced significant criticism after announcing that his government was in talks to provide \u00a3180,000 of public funding for the Aberdeenshire resort as it hosts the 2025 Nexo championship on the DP World Tour next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The US president earlier used his trip to repeat his call for the Open championship to return to Turnberry, declaring it \u201cthe best resort in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asked about the Open at Monday\u2019s joint press conference, Starmer said \u201cthe decision on the Open is not a decision for me\u201d but was swift to praise Turnberry as \u201cabsolutely magnificent, both inside and out\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starmer\u2019s comments came after the Guardian revealed<\/a> that senior Whitehall officials had asked golf bosses whether they could host the 2028 Open at Turnberry after Trump\u2019s repeated requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n US ethics experts later said doing so could break the US constitution\u2019s emoluments clause<\/a>, which prohibits federal officials from accepting benefits from foreign or state governments without congressional approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Swinney has refused to confirm the cost of policing Trump\u2019s visit, saying he remains in discussion with the UK government, but many critics have questioned why \u2013 as one Aberdeenshire protester put it on Monday \u2013 \u201cour taxes are paying for his holiday\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leading a hundred-strong protest at Trump\u2019s imminent arrival at his Menie resort in the nearby village of Balmedie, Alena Ivanova of the Stop Trump Coalition Scotland said: \u201cIt was very clear from the beginning that this trip was about Trump benefiting himself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also urged people to \u201cconsider the reality\u201d of Trump\u2019s business interests in Aberdeenshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Menie resort was built after a bitter and protracted dispute with local people and environmentalists, who fought to save the rare sand dunes and their own dwellings which Trump declared an eyesore. When he eventually won planning permission he promised a \u00a31bn coastal resort including expansive courses, luxury housing and high-rise timeshare flats \u2013 promises that many locals point out<\/a> have yet to be fulfilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ivanova said: \u201cTrump was supposed to build a \u00a31bn development with accommodation for local people. There were supposed to be a thousand jobs, so far there have barely been a hundred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Scottish government was hoodwinked into agreeing proposals that were previously turned down by the local council and the promises have not materialised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n