EDINBURGH, Scotland. President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Friday for a multi-day visit that mixes official engagements with business promotion, as his family’s company prepares to open a new golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, on August 13.
The trip, which includes meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also features visits to two of Trump’s golf properties: the new course in Balmedie and another in Turnberry, located about 200 miles away in southwest Scotland. Trump’s son Eric, who helped break ground on the new course in 2023, is expected to cut the ribbon.
The White House described the Scotland trip as a “working visit,” but critics point out the overlap between presidential duties and promotion of Trump-branded businesses. Ethics groups have raised concerns, noting that the Trump administration continues to blur the lines between governance and personal enterprise.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended the president’s itinerary, stating that Trump’s business background is central to his political appeal. She added that his golf courses are recognized globally and host prestigious events.
Trump previously visited Turnberry in 2018 during his first term, on the way to a summit in Finland with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His current visit comes as tee times for the new course are already being sold.
Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said, “We’re at a point where the Trump administration is so intertwined with the Trump business that he doesn’t seem to see much of a difference.”
During Trump’s first term, the Trump Organization agreed not to enter deals with foreign entities. That restriction no longer applies under the current ethics framework. While his assets are held in a trust managed by his children, the company has continued to secure lucrative international deals, including in Vietnam and Qatar.
Trump’s existing course in Aberdeenshire has faced criticism from Scottish conservation officials for environmental damage to local dunes. It also became part of Trump’s recent civil fraud case in New York, which resulted in a $355 million fine, now over $510 million with interest, for inflating property values.
Despite the scrutiny, Trump is not the first sitting U.S. president to golf in Scotland. Dwight Eisenhower played Turnberry in 1959, and George W. Bush visited Gleneagles in 2005. Many American presidents, including John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, have enjoyed the game, some more publicly than others.
Trump, known as an avid golfer, has claimed a handicap index of 2.5, though he has not recorded an official round since 2021. The White House describes him as a “championship-level golfer.”
As Trump prepares to showcase another high-profile course bearing his name, questions remain about the balance between personal business interests and the presidency, a recurring theme throughout his political career.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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