Trump to Blend Presidency With Golf Business in Scotland/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump is visiting Scotland for the launch of a new Trump-branded golf course, intertwining official duties with private business interests. His trip includes a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and stops at multiple Trump properties. Ethics critics warn the administration is erasing the line between governance and personal profit.
Trump Scotland Golf Course Trip + Quick Looks
- Trump travels to Scotland ahead of new golf course opening
- Scheduled to meet UK PM Starmer at a Trump property
- Visit includes stops at Trump International and Turnberry courses
- New course is part of what Trump calls “world’s best 36 holes”
- White House labels the trip as “official business”
- Ethics experts raise concerns over business-politics overlap
- Course opening amid multi-million dollar fraud penalties
- Trump’s children manage day-to-day Trump Organization operations
- Trump’s golf interests expanding globally amid tariff talks
- Historical context shows presidents often intertwined with golf
Trump to Blend Presidency With Golf Business in Scotland
Deep Look
President Donald Trump is once again walking the tightrope between presidential power and private enterprise — this time in Scotland. On Friday, Trump landed on Scottish soil for what the White House has dubbed a “working trip,” but one that doubles as a showcase for his latest family business venture: a sprawling new golf course that joins his existing Trump International property in Balmedie.
Overlooking the raw beauty of the North Sea, this latest development is part of what the Trump Organization markets as “the greatest 36 holes in golf.” The project underscores how the Trump presidency in its second iteration increasingly blends governance with commercial branding, using state business — including a planned meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer — as a backdrop for promoting the Trump name.
The White House maintains this is all above board. Spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended the itinerary, saying Trump’s history as a successful businessman is part of what voters admire.
“These properties are among the most elite golf destinations in the world,” Rogers said. “This trip highlights both economic development and diplomacy.”
Yet critics point to growing entanglements. “At this point, the Trump administration and the Trump Organization are practically inseparable,” said Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “The White House is starting to function like a corporate marketing arm.”
During his first term, Trump pledged not to strike foreign business deals while in office. But that ethics policy has since loosened, and Trump’s children — who manage the Trump Organization while he serves as president — have inked recent deals in Qatar and Vietnam. Those ventures align awkwardly with administration-led trade negotiations in those regions, prompting additional scrutiny.
Trump’s Scottish developments have long generated friction. His first Aberdeenshire course faced financial trouble and environmental criticism after damaging local sand dunes. The company also sued unsuccessfully to block a nearby wind farm, claiming it spoiled views for golfers. The legal battle ended with the Trump Organization ordered to pay Scotland’s legal costs.
More recently, the Trump company was hit with a major financial penalty stemming from a New York civil fraud case. Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump liable for inflating the value of assets — including speculative housing near the first Scottish course — to secure favorable loans. The court issued a $355 million fine, now ballooning to over $510 million with interest as Trump appeals.
Despite that backdrop, tee times for the new course — opening August 13 — are already up for sale. As president, Trump’s travel isn’t cheap: Marine One helicopters cost nearly $20,000 per hour, and Air Force One clocks in at $200,000 per hour. These expenses, largely covered by taxpayers, raise questions when travel blends political and private agendas.
While Trump is hardly the first president to love golf — Dwight Eisenhower, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama all played regularly — he stands out for monetizing it. Historians point to presidents who hit the links as a way to unwind, but none have tied their personal brand to golf courses in the way Trump has. His courses aren’t just venues — they’re extensions of his political persona.
Trump’s golf game has also drawn attention. While the White House calls him a “championship-level” player with a handicap of 2.5, he hasn’t posted an official round with the U.S. Golf Association since 2021. That’s significantly better than President Biden’s 6.7 or Obama’s self-reported 13.
As the Trump Organization prepares for the grand opening of its newest course, the optics of the president using public office to promote his private empire are unlikely to fade. Supporters argue he’s revitalizing American business and global branding. Detractors say it’s a dangerous merger of power and profit.
Either way, Trump’s time in Scotland is a vivid reminder of how his presidency blurs — and perhaps erases — the line between politics and business.
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