DONALD Trump is set to arrive in Scotland today, a country he has made more than a few mad comments about over the years.
From branding Nicola Sturgeon a “woke extremist” to a bizarre take on Scottish independence, the US president has had a number of memorable moments speaking about the country of his mother’s birth.
Here are 7 of his most unhinged remarks about Scotland…
‘Woke extremist’ Nicola Sturgeon
BACK in February 2023, Sturgeon sent shockwaves across the country as she announced her resignation as first minister after eight years in post.
Her announcement also caught the eye of Trump who bid her “good riddance” before labelling her “a woke extremist”.
He also accused Sturgeon of fighting him over his golf courses in Scotland.
“This crazed leftist symbolizes everything wrong with identity politics. Sturgeon thought it was OK to put a biological man in a women’s prison, and if that wasn’t bad enough, Sturgeon fought for a ‘Gender Recognition Reform Bill’ that would have allowed 16-year-old children to change their gender without medical advice.”
He went on: “I built the greatest golf properties in the world in Scotland, but she fought me all the way, making my job much more difficult.
“The wonderful people of Scotland are much better off without Sturgeon in office.”
Patrick Harvie accused of ‘blasphemy’
IN April 2012, Trump visited the Scottish Parliament and caused quite the circus.
He appeared to give evidence as a business owner in Scotland and argued against further wind turbines.
After being invited to give evidence by committee convener Murdo Fraser, Trump claimed the Scottish public hated wind farms.
This led to SNP MSP Chic Brodie asking him what evidence he had to support this.
The billionaire then pointed at himself and said “I am the evidence”.
Trump took issue with this and George Sorial, his combative right-hand man, complained to the Holyrood standards commissioner that the Scottish Green politician had been "offensive" and "blasphemous".
The Scottish blasphemy law was last enforced in 1843 but, under parliament rules, an investigation had to be launched.
The case was eventually dismissed, making Harvie the only Scottish parliamentarian ever to be formally cleared of blasphemy.
Trump on Scottish independence
Speaking with comedian Andrew Schulz on his Flagrant podcast last year, the then-US presidential candidate said he hoped the UK “always stays together”.
After Schulz said some of his family “hate the English”, Trump went off on bizarre spiel about Scottish independence and the country’s history. We’ll let it speak for itself.
“You know, they tried to break up Scotland from the rest of the empire, so to speak,” he said.
“And it made it by about like a half a point. They kept it together. So I hope it stays together. I hope it always stays together.”
Trump then appeared to reference the formation of the UK.
“But England, as they say, because it used to be England, but England never could. They just, and they were bigger and they had more people. They could never finish it off by capturing Scotland. So it’s really sort of,” Trump said.
Schulz then interrupted: “They ended up having to marry together."
Trump agreed: “They married. They became sort of subsidiaries. Right?”
'I have done so much for Scotland'
IN 2015, Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen stripped Trump of his honorary degree, while Sturgeon joined calls for him to be considered for exclusion from the UK.
Trump’s response was typically arrogant.
“If they – Nicola Sturgeon and RGU – were going to do this, they should have informed me prior to my major investment in this £200m development.
"The UK politicians should be thanking me instead of pandering to political correctness."
'Get rid of windmills'
EARLIER this year, Trump felt he needed to speak out about the UK’s move away from oil and gas.
Trump wrote: “The U.K. is making a very big mistake. Open up the North Sea. Get rid of Windmills!”
The president-elect was responding to a November announcement by US oil firm Apache, which said it will exit the North Sea.
Trump on Brexit
THE US president had a bit of an odd take on Brexit when he visited Scotland just after the country had voted to stay in the EU.
“Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back. No games,” he said.
'This house is ugly'
WE'RE taking you back a few years for this one. After Trump confirmed plans to build a golf course on the Menie Estate in March 2006, he got into a bitter planning dispute.
He quickly became involved in a fight with two of the site’s neighbours as Michael Forbes and David and Moira Milne declined to sell their land.
Ever the gentleman, Trump was filmed on one visit looking at the Milnes’ home, calling it “ugly”.
He said: “I want to get rid of that house.”
He was told by an employee that this could cause a "bit of stir" and replied: "Who cares? We are going to build the greatest golf course in the world, this house is ugly."
