DONALD Trump will meet with both Keir Starmer and John Swinney during a visit to Scotland later this month, it has been confirmed.
The Prime Minister will meet the US president when he travels to his golf resort at Menie in Aberdeenshire, Downing Street said on Monday.
The First Minister is also preparing for a meeting, the Scottish Government confirmed.
Police Scotland has previously said that it expects the visit to require a “significant policing operation” and confirmed that preparations were underway.
Reports have suggested that as many as 5000 officers will be drafted in to support the operation which is expected at the end of July.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "There are plans for the First Minister to meet with the President when he is in Scotland. It is important that the opportunity to promote the interests of Scotland is taken during this visit."
It is understood that there will be no private meeting with King Charles, however a date has now been set for Trump’s second visit to the UK this year, which will see him hosted by the Palace.
On the state visit, due to take place from September 17 to 19, he will be hosted at Windsor Castle.
It will be the second state visit for the US president, who was previously hosted by Queen Elizabeth in 2017.
His appearance in Scotland is almost certain to draw protests, and a demonstration has already been called to greet Trump in London later in the year.
SNP MP Stephen Gethins said the Prime Minister should focus on relations with the EU rather than Trump, "an increasingly unreliable ally".
"While there is an obvious need to engage, rolling out the red carpet of a state visit is the wrong approach when dealing with Trump," Gethins told The National. "Since his election, the US President has damaged the global economy, including the UK, with punitive tariffs.
"He has removed support from Ukraine and damaged the international rules based system that keeps us safe all the while floating dangerous plans for Gaza. Instead of rewarding Trump’s bad behaviour,
"Keir Starmer should be focused on rebuilding and deepening ties with our European partners with the United States so clearly becoming an increasingly unreliable ally."
Trump’s mother was from Lewis and his last visit came in 2023.
His golf resort at Turnberry in Ayrshire was recently targeted by pro-Palestine activists who daubed its clubhouse with red paint and wrote “Gaza is not for sale” on the walls, in reference to his plans to ethnically cleanse the territory and develop it as a holiday destination.
