trump Golf Course Progress Sparks Local Resentment in Scotland
Aberdeenshire, Scotland – Donald Trump‘s golf course development in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has ignited significant local opposition, with residents expressing deep dissatisfaction over the transformation of the landscape and the impact on neighboring properties.
David Milne, a local resident whose property borders one of Trump’s golf courses, voiced his discontent, stating, “It’s always second-best to what was there originally.” Milne described the original landscape as “untouched” before the development, which he now characterizes as “just a golf course.”
Trump acquired the land in 2006 and reportedly offered to purchase adjacent properties, including Milne’s, which Milne refused. In 2011, Trump publicly criticized Milne’s home, telling the Golf Channel, “Who cares… We’re trying to build the greatest course in the world. The house is ugly.”
Milne emphasized the cultural significance of the land to Scottish identity, stating, “Land is what Scotland is. Not just financially, it’s in the soul of the Scottish people as well. It is indeed where we come from, and where we go back to.”
The visit to Scotland holds personal significance for trump, whose mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born on the Hebridean island of Lewis. He has named one of his Aberdeenshire courses after her.
Trump’s previous visits to Scotland have been met with protests, and recent months have seen vandalism at his golf courses with a political undertone.
Tommy Campbell, a veteran labor union activist, announced plans to lead a protest during Trump’s visit, conveying a message of unwelcome due to policies he believes are “wholly at odds with what we value here.”
A february poll indicated that approximately 70% of Scots hold an unfavorable view of President Trump.Members of a local walking club near Trump’s golf links expressed their negative sentiment, with one woman stating, “The way he treated the neighbors and property owners, I think that influenced us all badly.”
Conversely,the Trump organization highlights the economic benefits,noting that the course employs over 80 people and has had a positive economic impact on the region. A local golfer acknowledged the business success from a “golf perspective,” stating, “is fantastic.” While agreeing with some of the protesters’ concerns, he suggested that protests should occur at a different time and place, not on the golf course.
Public opinion in Aberdeenshire regarding President Trump is varied, reflecting a range of perspectives on his developments and their impact.
