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President Trump to meet Starmer and Swinney on Scotland visit

Angus Cochrane
BBC Scotland News
PA Media Two men sit beside each other on yellow chairs in the Oval Office. Donald Trump, with greying ginger hair and wearing a navy suit and purple tie, is holding a piece of paper in his right hand. Keir Starmer, with grey hair and glasses is on the left. He is wearing a dark suit and purple tie. PA Media
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer presented an invitation from the King to Trump for second UK state visit during a meeting in the Oval Office in February

Sir Keir Starmer and John Swinney will meet Donald Trump when the US president visits Scotland later this month.

President Trump is expected to travel to his golf resort at Menie in Aberdeenshire.

Number 10 said Sir Keir had accepted an invitation to meet during the "private" trip to Scotland.

The Scottish government said Swinney's meeting would be an "opportunity to promote the interests of Scotland".

Police Scotland confirmed last week that is was preparing for a presidential visit.

It is understood there will be no private meeting with King Charles. However, Trump will make a full state visit to the UK later this year.

PA Media A man with a white cap points with his left hand. He is outside, with a blue sky in the background, and is wearing a navy suit and white shirt. It says "make America great again" in capital letters on his hat. PA Media
Donald Trump last visited Scotland in 2023

The US president will be hosted at Windsor Castle from 17 to 19 September.

It will be his second state visit, having been hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 during his first term in office.

Trump's second state visit is unprecedented, with second-term US leaders typically invited for tea or lunch with the monarch.

Trump, whose mother Mary was born in Lewis, last came to Scotland in 2023, when he broke ground on a new 18-hole course at his Aberdeenshire golf resort.

The president's company also owns the Trump Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire.

Trump has often spoken of his affection for the country but his last presidential visit, in 2018, prompted large protests in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

That is expected to be the case again this year, with the Scottish Greens vowing to join protests against the "extremist" president.

'Promote Scotland's interests'

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."

They added that the government had been working "with partners including Police Scotland".

Trump's trip will come at considerable expense to taxpayers, with thousands of officers to be deployed during his stay.

Police Scotland is likely to ask for help from other UK forces under "mutual aid" agreements, particularly for officers with specialist skills.

The force has urged anyone planning to protest against the president to abide by the law.