‘Deport Donald’ or welcome home? How Trump’s trip split Scotland

Donald Trump may be the most powerful member of Scotland's diaspora, but most people in his mother's country of birth did not view the US president's recent trip as the return of a prodigal son.

As Trump touched down in Ayrshire late last week to begin a golfing holiday heavy on global geopolitics, Scotland's nationalist-leaning newspaper printed a front page that summed up how many here see him:

"Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland," it read.

Anti-Trump protesters gathered under grey summer skies in Aberdeen on Saturday vented about the visit. "Deport Donald!" was scrawled on one cardboard placard. "Yer maw was an immigrant!" another sign read, adding some Scottish slang into the proverbial mudslinging.

"Donald Trump does not represent the politics of the people of Scotland," demonstrator Alena Ivanova told DW. "He's not welcome here because he represents hate, and we support community and working together."

A heavy police presence kept protesters far from Trump's golf coursesImage: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance

Did Trump get a chilly reception from most Scots?

This outright outrage at Trump's visit may be confined to opposition and activist circles, but Ivanona does have a broader point: Evidence shows the US president's politics don't chime with the majority of Scots.

 When asked how much they like him, Scots scored Trump an average of 1.76 out of 10.

"Even those people who are more positive about him aren't going to be love-bombing him — and aren't expressing great affection for him," political scientist Chris Carman told DW.

"Scots tend to see themselves as being more communitarian and somewhat more progressive," Carman, a professor at the University of Glasgow who crunched the polling numbers, explained.

For now, the biggest political battle lines in Scotland — a nation of 5.5 million — are not between left and right. In fact, the most popular parties are both center-left, and instead public opinion is split on whether Scotland should divorce itself from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The anti-Trump mood goes right to the top here. First Minister John Swinney, who heads up the devolved Scottish government in Edinburgh, publicly backed Trump rival Kamala Harris in last year's US elections. In February, Swinney accused Trump of promoting "ethnic cleansing" over his comments about Gaza.

Trump played host to his UK and Scottish counterparts as guests in their own countryImage: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Holding court and ribbon-cutting

But a lack of enthusiasm from the public did little to dampen Trump's mood this week. He seemed right at home as he cut the ribbon on his third Scottish golf resort, which includes a course named after his mother Mary Anne McLeod, who left Scotland for New York aged 18.

To this day, Trump has first cousins living in the country.

"We love Scotland," a visibly upbeat US president said on Tuesday. He even extended a rare compliment to journalists here. "They're not fake news — today they're wonderful news," he said.

This kind of trip, mixing the private with the political — and business with pleasure — is unusual for a sitting US president.

By now, America's allies are accustomed to Trump's tendency to upend diplomatic norms, but the sight of a US leader playing host to UK and Scottish counterparts as guests on their own soil was still striking.

Trump was in control, but they seemed happy to play along — and all three will go back to their capitals claiming diplomatic or economic wins.

Trump pressed on Gaza

UK prime minister Keir Starmer and Scotland's John Swinney both pressed Trump to use his influence to end the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, and Trump appeared to toughen his position on Russia — music to the ears of European allies.

On a more personal level, Trump seemed sold on Scotland's Swinney, calling him a "terrific guy" before leaving on Tuesday.

Trump mixed business and pleasure on his trip to ScotlandImage: Robert Perry/Getty Images

But Swinney was more cautious in his assessment, reflecting the political tightrope he is walking. Swinney steered clear of his past Trump-bashing, but also dodged repeated questions on whether he "liked" the US president.

"He was pleasant company," Swinney told Scottish broadcaster STV on Tuesday. "I think my personal feelings about people are irrelevant. I've got a job to do," he added.

Whisky producers on Scottish islands hope to secure exemptions from US tariffsImage: Nova Innovation/empics/picture alliance

Scotch at stake

That job includes trying to cushion the blow of US tariffs to Scotch whisky, one of the country's biggest exports. And some have been urging the first minister to drop the "grin and bear it" approach and embrace Trump to reap the possible rewards of the most powerful man in the world having a soft spot for Scotland.

"I don't think we should expect all Scots to love Donald Trump. But we need to respect the position of president of the United States," businessman Allan Henderson told DW on Tuesday.

"If he is prepared to invest in our country and employ people," he added, "then I'm sorry, I would get behind that."

"We rely on goods like Scotch exports to the United States. The last thing you want to do is to put that industry into peril."

Swinney told reporters on Tuesday that Trump had showed "willingness” to look at issues raised, including exempting whisky from US duties. No formal deal for Scotch was struck.

Trump waged a long legal battle against wind turbines near one of his golf resorts in ScotlandImage: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Trump vs. 'the windmills'

Businessman Allan Henderson's home region of Aberdeenshire is no stranger to Trump-driven controversy. The US president was quick to bring up his age-old Aberdonian foe during this latest visit. 

For more than a decade, Trump has been railing against wind turbines that generate renewable energy near Aberdeen and elsewhere. He even unsuccessfully sued the Scottish government to try and halt construction of a wind farm near his golf course — a case that made it all the way to the UK Supreme Court.

"Get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil," was Trump's message to Scotland before embarking on his most recent trip.

Trump left Scotland on Tuesday after a five-day tripImage: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo/picture alliance

Two-way street?

As Trump winds up his five-day working holiday in Scotland, it's likely that his stake in Scottish politics may long outlive his presidency. After all, his business interests will continue to be bound by laws laid down in Edinburgh and London.

Political scientist Chris Carman said it was not simply "a one-way street" whereby Scottish First Minister John Swinney is scrambling to make it positive. "Both leaders have an interest in trying to make sure that there's that positive dialogue between the Trump Organization and the Scottish government." 

"Donald Trump is perfectly willing to leverage both his soft and hard power in pursuing his financial interests and protecting his financial interests in Scotland," Carman told DW..

And that leaves at least one certainty for Scotland in a world increasingly defined by the stroke of an unpredictable presidential pen.

As Carman put it: "Donald Trump is going to be a feature in Scottish politics."

Edited by: Jess Smee