Trump, Turnberry and corruption scandal that could rock White House
Congress probes claim he illicitly prof ited from servicemen staying at resort, with US taxpayer footing the bill
‘Serious conflict of interest concerns’
DONALD Trump is at the centre of an official investigation into claims his flagship Scottish hotel is being boosted by money from the US defence budget.
The United States Congress has launched an inquiry into the links between the American military, the Scottish Government-owned Prestwick Airport, and Mr Trump’s Turnberry resort in Ayrshire.
The probe will look at claims the airport provided cut-price deals to the US military – and offered free golf rounds and discounted stays at Mr Trump’s golf club.
A letter to the US defence department has raised ‘serious conflict of interest concerns’ about Mr Trump allegedly making money from military trips to Scotland.
Earlier this year, US troops on a routine military trip from the US to Kuwait reportedly stopped off at Mr Trump’s luxury golf resort 32 miles from Glasgow. They are said to have returned on their way back to America.
Mr Trump bought Turnberry in 2014 for almost £50 million and spent £150 million on upgrades.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government bought Prestwick Airport for £1 to save it from closure in 2013 – before ploughing £40 million into the loss-making facility.
Last year, a growing connection between Mr Trump’s businesses and Prestwick was revealed.
The airport was found to be acting as a base for live missions by the US Air Force. It was shown that it had been charging US military flights transporting troops over the Atlantic up to 80 per cent less than rival airports. Prestwick officials were criticised for giving out free rounds of golf and cut-price rooms at Turnberry for some personnel.
Last year, the Turnberry resort’s revenue had dramatically increased by almost £2.5 million.
Fearing a conflict of interest, a letter from the chairman of the Congress oversight committee, Elijah Cummings, addressed to the US defence department, read: ‘Two years before the 2016 election, President Trump spent hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase and renovate the Turnberry golf course. To date, the property has continued to suffer financial losses and has not turned a profit.
‘The airport closest to the Trump Turnberry golf course – Glasgow Prestwick Airport – has been viewed as integral to the golf course’s financial success, yet it too has lost millions of dollars every year since its purchase by the Scottish Government in 2013.’
Citing Defence Logistics Agency records showing 629 fuel purchase orders worth about £9 million since October 2017, the letter adds: ‘Given the President’s continued financial stake in his Scotland golf courses, these reports raise questions about the president’s potential receipt of US or foreign government emoluments in violation of the US Constitution and raise other serious conflict of interest concerns.
‘The committee is seeking information related to expenditures at both Prestwick Airport and the president’s nearby golf resorts.’
Earlier this year, Air National Guard crew on a C-17 military transport plane stopped off – on the way to the Middle East and on the way back – at Turnberry.
The five-man crew were confused by their stopover at Prestwick as refuelling at a commercial airport is more expensive.
One senior Air Force official told news website Politico that choosing to refuel at Prestwick and stay at a property a half-hour away was strange ‘unless all the hotels are booked or there is a Scottish sheep festival going on’.
According to the US Constitution, the President cannot receive compensation from the federal government other than his salary.
Yesterday, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted of the claims: ‘The President is corrupt and must be impeached.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Glasgow Prestwick Airport is operated on a commercial basis at arm’s length from the Scottish Government, in compliance with EU state aid rules. Ministers do not intervene in the commercial discussions at the airport.
‘The senior management team has been tasked with taking the airport forward, including building on existing revenue streams.
‘Glasgow Prestwick Airport has handled military and private flights since the 1930s and it remains an important part of the airport’s business.’