Trumps ‘frustrated’ by foreign projects ban
● US president’s executive gives rare address at evangelical church
Donald Trump’s most senior executive in the UK has said the Trump family is feeling frustrated at being unable to pursue “foreign investments” and overseas business opportunities, while also revealing that “everybody in the Trump Organisation is going to write a book”.
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International Scotland, suggested that since assuming the presidency, Mr Trump’s personal “liberties and freedoms” have been curtailed because he cannot visit his Scottish properties to play golf when he likes.
Ms Malone made the comments at a rare public speaking engagement at a controversial evangelical church in Glasgow with ties to Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which claims to be the world’s biggest Christian television network.
The event saw Ms Malone’s husband, Damian Bates – a former newspaper editor who has dined with Mr Trump at the White House while researching a book about him – claim the president turned down a $65 million (£50m) offer to film another series of The Apprentice in order to pursue his political career.
Mr Bates also lashed out at media coverage of the Trump administration, criticising the BBC and urging people to tune in to RT, the Russian government-funded broadcaster.
In an address before an audiencearound120-strongatdestiny Church in Glasgow, Ms Malone said those who claim Mr Trump is profiting from his presidency had a “very crude”, “overly simplistic” and “ridiculous” mindset.
“It’s frustrating for the family, because they’re business people, so the presidency is … and also his liberties and his freedoms to be able to come and play golf when he wants,” she explained.
She indicated her colleagues in the Trump Organisation would follow her husband’s lead and commit their experiences with Mr Trump to paper.
“Everybody in the Trump Organisation is going to write a book,” she said. “Everybody’s writing a book. Everybody’s writing a book about Trump whether they’re in the organisation or not.”
At Thursday evening’s event, Mr Bates addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the financial ties between the state-owned Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Mr Trump’s nearby Turnberry resort, and the US Defence Department, the subject of an ongoing investigation by the US Congress.
He said there was a “deal done” with the US government for military aircraft to stop at Prestwick, which offered the “cheapest” landing rates in Europe.