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'Mad Alex': Donald Trump letters abuse Scottish ex-first minister 'Mad Alex': Donald Trump letters abuse Scottish ex-first minister
(about 1 hour later)
Donald Trump harangued the former first minister of Scotland as “Mad Alex” and accused him of being on a “march to oblivion” in a series of increasingly angry and eccentric letters about the windfarms the American claimed were blighting his Scottish golf courses. Donald Trump harangued the former first minister of Scotland as “Mad Alex” and accused him of being on a “march to oblivion” in a series of increasingly angry and eccentric letters about the windfarms he claimed were blighting his Scottish golf courses.
The letters, revealed by the Huffington Post through a freedom of information request, show Trump’s tone swinging wildly between coaxing and threatening in his communications with Alex Salmond. The correspondence with Alex Salmond, revealed by the Huffington Post after a freedom of information request, demonstrated that Trump’s tone swung wildly between coaxing and threatening as he grows increasingly frustrated with his former ally’s refusal to change his policy on renewable energy.
Trump told Salmond that his dream of Scottish independence would be “gone with the wind” if he continued to support windfarm developments, accusing the SNP leader of being “hellbent” on damaging Scotland’s coastline. Trump warned Salmond that his dream of Scottish independence would be “gone with the wind” if the first minister continued to support windfarm developments, accusing the then leader of the SNP of being “hellbent” on damaging Scotland’s coastline.
Trump went on to insist that his own motives were to “save Scotland” and “honour my mother”, who was born on the Isle of Lewis before emigrating to the US in her early 20s. In 16 published letters, only one of which Salmond replied to, Trump went on to insist that his own motives were to “save Scotland” and “honour my mother”, who was born on the Isle of Lewis before emigrating to the US in her early 20s.
Referring to windfarms as “monsters”, the series of letters suggested that Salmond “let them ruin the coastline of Sweden first”, insisting that “wind power doesn’t work” and warning the then first minister that “your economy will become a third world wasteland that investors will avoid”. Referring to windfarms as “monsters”, the series of letters suggests Salmond “let them ruin the coastline of Sweden first”, declaring that “wind power doesn’t work” and warning him that “your economy will become a third world wasteland that investors will avoid”.
Trump has been involved in long-running rows over the impact of windfarms on his Scottish golf courses and last December lost a supreme court battle against an experimental offshore array being built in the North Sea several miles off his links course in Aberdeenshire. Trump has been involved in a long-running conflict with the Scottish government over the impact of windfarms on his Scottish golf courses. Salmond supported Trump’s £750m development of the Menie golf resort in Aberdeenshire after planning permission was refused by Aberdeenshire council because of the potential impact on a legally protected coastal nature reserve.
A spokesperson for Salmond - who only replied to one of the sixteen letters - confirmed that the communications were genuine and added: “They show a Scottish First Minister steadfastly refusing to bow to extreme pressure from Mr Trump in opposition to wind energy. But the pair fell out after Trump lodged repeated legal challenges to an offshore windfarm being built in the North Sea, several miles off the Aberdeenshire links course and backed by the former SNP leader.
“We can only hope that the responsibilities of office change a man and that the President elect comes to see the benefits of renewable energy not only to the environment but to local businesses and communities.” Last December, Trump lost his appeal against the turbines at the supreme court. It prompted an extraordinary war of words between the billionaire and Salmond, who branded Trump “three times a loser”, while the Trump Organisation hit back at the former nationalist leader as a “has-been”.
A spokesperson for Salmond confirmed on Wednesday that the communications were genuine, adding: “They show a Scottish first minister steadfastly refusing to bow to extreme pressure from Mr Trump in opposition to wind energy.
“We can only hope that the responsibilities of office change a man and that the president-elect comes to see the benefits of renewable energy, not only to the environment but to local businesses and communities.”
The letters, dated from September 2011 to June 2013, show the billionaire fulminating at the consequences of windfarm development, as well as displaying a rather partial grasp of Scottish history: “The people of Scotland will forever suffer! With the reckless installation of these monsters, you will single-handedly have done more damage to Scotland than virtually any event in Scottish history!”The letters, dated from September 2011 to June 2013, show the billionaire fulminating at the consequences of windfarm development, as well as displaying a rather partial grasp of Scottish history: “The people of Scotland will forever suffer! With the reckless installation of these monsters, you will single-handedly have done more damage to Scotland than virtually any event in Scottish history!”
“You seem hellbent on destroying Scotland’s coastline and therefore Scotland itself,” he writes on 9 February 2012. “But I will never be ‘on board’, as you have stated I would be, with this insanity. As a matter of fact, I have just authorised my staff to allocate a substantial amount of money to launch an international campaign to fight your plan to surround Scotland’s coast with many thousands of wind turbines - it will be like looking through the bars of a prison and the Scottish citizens will be the prisoners!” “You seem hellbent on destroying Scotland’s coastline and therefore Scotland itself,” he wrote on 9 February 2012. “But I will never be ‘on board’, as you have stated I would be, with this insanity. As a matter of fact, I have just authorised my staff to allocate a substantial amount of money to launch an international campaign to fight your plan to surround Scotland’s coast with many thousands of wind turbines – it will be like looking through the bars of a prison and the Scottish citizens will be the prisoners!”
In another epistle, this time addressed to Philip Hammond, Trump thanked the then defence secretary for “your ongoing objection to these horrendous machines that will ruin Scotland and compromise the United Kingdom’s Air Defence program.” He concluded: “The defence of the UK is far too important to tinker with just to satisfy Alex Salmond’s bloated ego.”In another epistle, this time addressed to Philip Hammond, Trump thanked the then defence secretary for “your ongoing objection to these horrendous machines that will ruin Scotland and compromise the United Kingdom’s Air Defence program.” He concluded: “The defence of the UK is far too important to tinker with just to satisfy Alex Salmond’s bloated ego.”
Earlier this year, Salmond urged Americans not to vote for Trump, claiming he had a “bullying” and unpredictable nature that made him unfit to be US president, and revealing for the first time what he described as “green ink” letters that were sent by courier across the Atlantic. Earlier this year, Salmond urged Americans not to vote for Trump, claiming he had a “bullying” nature that made him unfit to be US president, and revealing for the first time what he described as “green ink” letters that were sent by courier across the Atlantic.
Shortly after his shock election victory last month, Trump turned to Nigel Farage to help him in lobbying against the development of windfarms, which he has fought against being built near his Scottish golf courses. Shortly after his shock election victory last month, Trump turned to Nigel Farage to help him in lobbying against the development of windfarms in Scotland.
According to a member of the delegation that went with the then Ukip leader to meet the president-elect in the US, Trump said he was “dismayed that his beloved Scotland has become overrun with ugly windfarms which he believes are a blight on the stunning landscape”.According to a member of the delegation that went with the then Ukip leader to meet the president-elect in the US, Trump said he was “dismayed that his beloved Scotland has become overrun with ugly windfarms which he believes are a blight on the stunning landscape”.