U.S. President Donald Trump spent a quiet day golfing at his exclusive Turnberry resort in Scotland, while large protests unfolded across several cities opposing his visit. Despite tight security, demonstrators took to the streets with banners and chants in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and other parts of the country.
According to Reuters, Trump used his second day in Scotland to play golf alongside his son Eric and the U.S. Ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens. No public events were scheduled, though meetings with European leaders are expected during his stay.
The “Stop Trump Coalition” organized marches that included messages of solidarity with Palestine, criticism of Trump’s immigration policies, and overall rejection of his leadership. In cities like Edinburgh and Aberdeen, slogans such as “Trump, Trump, go away” and “Scotland hates Trump” were widely displayed.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney called for peaceful and legal protests, but also faced criticism for overseeing a large-scale police operation involving military presence and anti-terror units.
Why are there so many protests if the visit is private?
Because even though the visit is labeled as “private,” it involves public security costs and combines personal interests (his golf resorts) with diplomatic intentions (meetings with European officials), drawing strong criticism from Scottish citizens who see his presence as unwelcome and burdensome.
During his five-day stay, Trump is expected to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss potential trade agreements.
