U.S. President Donald Trump has just launched a striking new golf course in Scotland, a nation tied to his family roots, blending personal passion with the spotlight of his office. This opening in Balmedie marks a bold statement about the enduring Trump brand.
According to AP News, Trump capped a five-day trip centered on promoting his luxury properties with the ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Trump International Golf Links. The event, steeped in family involvement, also couldn’t escape the shadow of pressing global issues trailing him from Washington.
Donning a white "USA" cap, Trump was in high spirits, even tossing a rare compliment to the press with, “Today they’re not fake news, they’re wonderful news.” But let’s be honest, a momentary truce with journalists hardly masks the larger pattern of using presidential clout to boost personal ventures.
Joined by sons Eric and Donald Jr., Trump sliced through a red ribbon with golden scissors, counting “1-2-3” before officially opening the course on Scotland’s northern coast. He praised Eric’s design work as “truly a labor of love,” while Eric called it his father’s “passion project.”
The president then teed off on the first hole alongside his sons and two pros, his shot flying straight and far, prompting a near bow to the cameras. Eric quipped, “He likes the course, ladies and gentlemen,” as if the grin on Trump’s face wasn’t evidence enough.
Billed as the “Greatest 36 Holes in Golf,” this new venue will host weekend tournaments before welcoming the public on Aug. 13. Yet, one has to wonder if the fanfare overshadows the ethical tightrope of intertwining White House influence with family profits.
Trump didn’t entirely sidestep official duties, holding talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and securing a trade framework with the European Union, though major details remain unresolved. He also golfed at Turnberry over the weekend, meeting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen amidst street protests.
On Monday, he addressed the dire food crisis in Gaza, questioning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim of no starvation policy with, “Based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.” Such a tepid response, relying on TV imagery, hardly signals the urgency needed for a humanitarian catastrophe.
Then there’s the Epstein matter, where Trump explained banishing the disgraced financier from his Palm Beach club for stealing staff, while an aide labeled Epstein a “creep.” It’s a convenient sidestep, glossing over deeper questions about past associations that deserve sharper scrutiny.
The event fused two of Trump’s deepest affinities: golf and Scotland, the birthplace of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, from the Isle of Lewis. “We love Scotland here,” he said, recalling her yearly summer visits with his sisters.
Yet, not all was idyllic, as nearby wind turbines from a local windfarm soured his mood, a long-standing irritant since he lost a 2013 lawsuit to block their construction. On a recent podcast with the New York Post, he called them “ugly windmills” that “kill the birds, ruin the look,” and tank property values.
His environmental critique might resonate with those wary of industrial eyesores, but it’s hard to ignore the irony of a real estate mogul lamenting landscape disruption. The turbines stand as a stubborn reminder that not even presidential ire can reshape every horizon.
This new course, the third Trump Organization property in Scotland alongside Turnberry and another near Aberdeen, underscores a legacy of family enterprise currently managed by his sons via a trust. Any revenue generated here will eventually flow back to Trump post-presidency, raising persistent questions about conflicts of interest.
The Scottish visit, while a personal triumph for Trump, doubles as a glaring billboard for his brand, amplified by the presidential seal. It’s a savvy move for business, but one that fuels valid concerns about the blurred lines between governance and gain.
In the end, Trump’s Balmedie venture is a polished swing at expanding his empire, yet it’s tethered to the weight of public scrutiny over ethics and pressing world issues. Scotland may hold his heart, but the game he plays extends far beyond its rolling greens.
