President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Scotland to open his new 18-hole golf course at Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen has reignited longstanding controversies tied to his golf businesses in the country.
The MacLeod Course, named after Trump’s Scottish mother Mary Anne MacLeod, officially launching in August 2025, is at the center of disputes involving environmental concerns, local resistance, and political backlash.
Despite the new course’s promising design and luxury appeal, local communities and environmental groups have expressed strong opposition.
In past visits, notably during his first presidential term, large-scale demonstrations occurred. For example, in 2018, thousands protested in Edinburgh for three consecutive days while Trump played golf at Turnberry.
Protesters chanted slogans condemning his policies and presence, and demonstrators gathered to boo him at the perimeter of his golf course. Police had to manage significant security operations, including snipers on scaffolding and investigations into protest tactics such as banner paragliding over the resort.
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Earlier, protests in Scotland included marches with banners like “Love Trumps Hate,” “No to racism, no to Trump,” and chants against his racist and sexist rhetoric, organized by groups such as Stand Up To Racism.The controversy extends from decades-long clashes between Trump and the local population, notably around the Menie estate near Aberdeenshire. Residents such as David Milne have resisted selling their land to Trump’s organization, with the golf resort encroaching upon private farms.Milne isn’t happy about his new neighbor.
“It’s always second-best to what was there originally,” he told CBS News. “When I came in here, this landscape was untouched … now it’s just a golf course.”
The environmental pushback also includes Trump’s failed attempts to block a nearby offshore wind farm, a battle lost in Scotland’s supreme court, with the Trump Organization condemning the government in strong terms and Scottish politicians disparaging Trump for repeated failures on investment and job creation promises.
Politically, Trump’s visit has drawn protests and public dissent. Demonstrations under banners like the “Stop Trump Coalition” have mobilized, reflecting resentment not only at the environmental and local economic impact but also broader political controversies surrounding Trump, including his past policies and alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein, which have been vocally condemned during his trip.
Trump’s Scottish golf ventures have not yet hosted events like the British Open from his facilities at Turnberry, limiting their prestige and revenue potential.
