Last Week, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney met with Eric Trump. The meeting took place in Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister, but on the provision of business rather than politics.
The pair are believed to have discussed the business of the Trump Organisation, of which Eric is Executive Vice President.
This includes the Turnberry Trump Golf Resort, which was recently vandalised by pro Palestinian protesters after the President’s remarks about taking control of Gaza.
The Trump Organisation is also due to be opening a new resort in Aberdeenshire this year, further growing Trump’s investments and presence in Scotland.
The meeting attracted some criticism, with Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens calling the meeting “totally inappropriate.” Other Scottish MPs have recently been outspoken about their criticism of the US President.
Following Trump’s confrontation in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Zelensky, and subsequent suspension of US aid to Ukraine, SNP MP Stephen Flynn wrote that PM Keir Starmer should “revoke that state visit.”
The presence of a Trump branded plane at Edinburgh Airport has reignited this controversy regarding Trump’s second invite for a state visit.
A state visit is not usually offered to second term Presidents.
A petition has gained nearly 200,000 signatures calling for this invite to be revoked and it is unclear if this visit will go ahead.
“Eric Trump” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.