Indyref 2 will ‘be terrible’, warns Trump
DONALD Trump has warned that a second independence referendum ‘would be terrible’ for Scots because ‘they just went through hell’.
The US President made an intervention into Scottish politics by speaking out against Nicola Sturgeon’s plan to hold another divisive vote on separation.
In a bizarre aside, he raised concerns about the future of golf’s Open Championship if Scotland was to split from the UK.
It is the first time a US President has commented on Scotland’s future since Barack Obama said he hoped Britain remained ‘strong, robust and united’ only two days before the 2014 referendum.
Before his election Mr Trump, whose mother grew up on the Isle of Lewis, was highly critical of Alex Salmond, accusing the former First Minister of ‘destroying’ Scotland with his ‘obsession’ with allowing wind farms.
Mr Trump’s comments emerged yesterday when a full transcript of a Wall Street Journal interview was released by the Politico website. During the interview, he asked the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Gerard Baker: ‘Is Scotland going to go for the vote, by the way?
‘You don’t see it. It would be terrible. They just went through hell.’
When Mr Baker indicated that he did not think there would be another referendum, the President said: ‘What would they do with the British Open if they ever got out? They’d no longer have the British Open.’
Mr Salmond claimed the comments could help the case for independence. But pro-Union parties noted that Mr Trump was echoing similar concerns raised by President Obama.
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: ‘Just like his predecessor, Donald Trump can see exactly the kind of damage independence would do to Scotland and the UK across a range of areas.’
A Scottish Labour source said: ‘When someone as delusional as Donald Trump doesn’t fall for Nationalist lies, it shows just how unconvincing the SNP’s case is.’
Yesterday, Mr Salmond told the Buzzfeed website: ‘Donald Trump’s opposition to independence should seal the deal for the SNP – and to do it on the basis of Scotland losing the “British Open” is typical.
‘The tournament is actually called The Open and the headquarters of the [organiser] R&A is in St Andrews.
‘The President of the United States is a complete and utter nincompoop.’
The Scottish Government did not comment yesterday on the President’s remarks.
But an SNP spokesman said: ‘America gained its independence and it’s safe to say that things worked out well.’