SECRETARY OF STATE ON
No need for SNP’s snub
David Mundell has told of the “surreal” moment he welcomed Donald Trump off Air Force One – and why he believes Nicola Sturgeon should have been by his side.
The Secretary of State for Scotland was the only politician who met the US president when he landed with wife Melania at Prestwick Airport earlier this month.
And, in a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Mail, he has questioned the First Minister’s attitude towards a visit from a “head of state and important ally”.
Mundell said: “It was surreal, I’m not going to suggest otherwise. It was one of those moments when you just really don’t know what is going to happen.
“I was on the tarmac when Air Force One came in to land. Trump came down, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Hey, how are you?’
“It was a much easier conversation than it might have been. He said he’d been in Scotland many times before but this was his first visit as president.
“He talked about how much he loved Scotland, how his mother was Scottish and how happy he was to be here.
“Then it was all about golf and the fact he was worried it had been very dry.
“I said I was sure staff would have watered the course for him.
“I understand Nicola Sturgeon wasn’t asked to meet him. It’s my view that she should have been asked and then she would have had to make clear whether she was going to do that or not.
“The idea that the First Minister wouldn’t meet the president suggests an independent Scotland would break off diplomatic relations with America and that seems a bit odd.
“Nicola Sturgeon has seen fit to go to China, for example, where there are significant human rights issues.
“I felt they let her off the hook – she should have been part of the welcome.”
While refusing to support Trump’s policies, Mundell added: “He has a charisma, not everyone thinks it is positive but he’s not a bland person and that has projected him to where he is.
“He’s a head of state and that’s why I met him. The United States is one of our
most important allies and I think you need to take that on board.
“I fully respect people’s right to protest but having strong links to America, from a business and political point of view, is important.
“You need to take those forward regardless of who is president – one thing I felt was that he has a genuine affection for Scotland.”
We met Mundell in the village of Moffat, part of his Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency, and a far cry from the central belt, where his party remains despised by many communities. Despite being