PRESIDENT HINTS AT POSSIBLE SCOTS VISIT

DONALD Trump has given a strong hint that he could come to Scotland after declaring he would ‘love’ to visit again.

He called it a ‘very special place’ and said he regretted not being able to visit since becoming President.

The Mail revealed last year that Mr Trump could stay with the Queen at Balmoral during his first UK visit as President, now expected to happen in the second half of this year.

The businessman has strong Scots links. His mother, Mary MacLeod, was born on Lewis in 1912, and he owns a golf course at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, as well as the Turnberry hotel and golf resort in Ayrshire.

Speaking to Piers Morgan on ITV yesterday, he said: ‘I love Scotland. One of the biggest problems I have in winning (the presidency), I won’t be able to get back there so often. I would love to go there. Before this happened, I would be there a lot. Very special people and a very special place.’

Mr Trump last travelled to the UK in June 2016 during the presidential campaign, with stops at his Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire golf courses.

Relations with the Scottish Government soured over a wind farm development off the coast of his Aberdeenshire resort, while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been an outspoken critic of Mr Trump.

The Scottish Government said it was not aware of any plans for Mr Trump to visit Scotland. A spokesman added: ‘We will not compromise our fundamental values of equality, diversity and human rights and in the event that he does visit the UK we would expect these values to be made clear.’

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: ‘If Trump does make it to Scotland I am sure the country will give him the welcome he truly deserves.’