TURNBERRY, Scotland (BN24) — A sweeping security operation was in full force Saturday as President Donald Trump played a round of golf at his Turnberry resort on the first full day of his UK visit, with roads closed, armed personnel deployed and helicopters circling overhead.
The President’s arrival at the famed Scottish course, which he purchased in 2014, was marked by an extraordinary show of force. Police, military and navy teams swept the area in advance, employing sniffer dogs and snipers while a boat monitored from offshore. Trump, dressed in golfing attire, was accompanied on the green by a fleet of golf carts as tight security kept journalists and the public at a considerable distance.
Trump’s visit to Scotland follows a tense arrival in the UK, where just hours earlier he sharply criticized Europe’s immigration policies, warning they were “killing” the continent. Yet he struck a more conciliatory tone upon landing in Ayrshire, offering praise for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, calling him a “good man” though “slightly more liberal than I am.”
The president is expected to meet with Starmer and Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney in the coming days, as well as hold trade discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Trump is also said to be promoting Turnberry as a potential host site for The Open, the prestigious golf championship.
In anticipation of his visit, Police Scotland ramped up its presence, with assistance requested from forces across the UK. Demonstrations were expected in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and potentially near the golf course itself, posing the first major test for the police during Trump’s visit. Law enforcement agencies warned of a possible strain on local policing resources, even as they vowed to ensure safety and freedom of expression.
First Minister Swinney urged protesters to remain peaceful and lawful. By midday Saturday, demonstrators had gathered in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, waving anti-Trump banners and Palestinian flags, with at least one protester donning a papier-mâché caricature of the U.S. president.
Trump’s visit also includes plans to visit his other golf property in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, where a second course is expected to open soon.
