US President Donald Trump will visit Scotland next week, the White House has confirmed.
Speculation mounted about a potential visit of the president this month when Police Scotland confirmed it was in the early stages of planning for such an event.
Speaking at a briefing in Washington DC on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Mr Trump will visit both of his golf courses in Scotland: Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire; between July 25 and 29.
It has already been confirmed Mr Trump will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer while in Aberdeen, while plans are being put in place for the president to meet First Minister John Swinney, according to the Scottish Government.
“President Trump will travel to Scotland, where he will visit both Turnberry and Aberdeen, from July 25 to July 29,” Ms Leavitt said.
“During the visit, President Trump will meet again with Prime Minister Starmer to refine the great trade deal that was brokered between the United States and the United Kingdom.”
The president will return to the UK in September for his second state visit.
Earlier this week, President Trump told the BBC that the north-east of Scotland – the oil and gas capital of Europe – should “get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil”.
The US president has long been an opponent of wind farms, objecting to a development off the coast of Aberdeen which can be seen from his golf course.
There had also been speculation the King would host the American leader in Scotland after Charles suggested the meeting, at Balmoral or Dumfries House, in a letter he wrote to Mr Trump in February inviting him to make the state visit.
But it is understood with the state visit not long after the proposed meeting both sides decided to wait until the formal gathering.
