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| Donald Trump discusses whisky tariffs and Gaza with John Swinney | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| President Trump spoke to reporters at his Turnberry resort on Monday | President Trump spoke to reporters at his Turnberry resort on Monday |
| Donald Trump has met First Minister John Swinney as his four-day visit to Scotland draws to a close. | |
| The two leaders held talks on the president's Balmedie Estate earlier for between 15 and 20 minutes. | |
| A senior Scottish government source said whisky tariffs and the situation in Gaza were among the topics discussed. | |
| The US president will open a new course at his Aberdeenshire golf resort shortly. | |
| The government source described the meeting as "very convivial" and said it was a "very good conversation". | |
| The pair also discussed "how Scotland was doing" as well as oil and gas taxation. Swinney was said to have emphasised the need to do more on Gaza. | |
| Eric Trump was present at the meeting and Donald Trump Jr also attended at the start and end. | |
| Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer are welcomed by bagpipers in Aberdeenshire on Monday evening | |
| In a visit dominated by trade discussions with the European Union, Trump has already played golf at his Turnberry resort, where he welcomed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday. | In a visit dominated by trade discussions with the European Union, Trump has already played golf at his Turnberry resort, where he welcomed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday. |
| The pair then flew to RAF Lossiemouth on Air Force One, before being joined by the first minister for dinner at the Trump resort at Balmedie, near Aberdeen. | The pair then flew to RAF Lossiemouth on Air Force One, before being joined by the first minister for dinner at the Trump resort at Balmedie, near Aberdeen. |
| The BBC has been told Swinney spent more than an hour in conversation with Trump on Monday night. | The BBC has been told Swinney spent more than an hour in conversation with Trump on Monday night. |
| The pair were seated next to each other for the meal - which included a starter of langoustine and a main course of beef - and "discussed at length critical issues such as whisky," according to a senior Scottish government source. | The pair were seated next to each other for the meal - which included a starter of langoustine and a main course of beef - and "discussed at length critical issues such as whisky," according to a senior Scottish government source. |
| Swinney is seeking an exemption for Scotch from a 10% tax, known as a tariff, imposed on UK exports to the US. | |
| The spirit makes up a quarter of all UK food and drink exports according to the Scotch Whisky Association. | The spirit makes up a quarter of all UK food and drink exports according to the Scotch Whisky Association. |
| The trade body said around a fifth of all Scotch whisky is exported to the US - a market worth £971m in 2024 - and the tariffs are currently costing the industry £4m a week. | The trade body said around a fifth of all Scotch whisky is exported to the US - a market worth £971m in 2024 - and the tariffs are currently costing the industry £4m a week. |
| The Scottish government source said there was a "window of opportunity" between now and Trump returning to the UK for a state visit in September to make progress on reducing the tariff. | The Scottish government source said there was a "window of opportunity" between now and Trump returning to the UK for a state visit in September to make progress on reducing the tariff. |
| Donald Trump will open a new golf course at his Aberdeenshire resort | Donald Trump will open a new golf course at his Aberdeenshire resort |
| Ahead of the trip, the White House said talks between the president and prime minister would deal with elements of the trade deal between the countries. | Ahead of the trip, the White House said talks between the president and prime minister would deal with elements of the trade deal between the countries. |
| Despite the trade deal being agreed, a 10% tariff remains on Scotch whisky, one of the country's biggest exports. | Despite the trade deal being agreed, a 10% tariff remains on Scotch whisky, one of the country's biggest exports. |
| Asked if that tariff could be dropped or eliminated as a result of the meeting with the prime minister, Trump said: "We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker, but maybe I should be." | Asked if that tariff could be dropped or eliminated as a result of the meeting with the prime minister, Trump said: "We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker, but maybe I should be." |
| The first minister said he would raise the issue when he met the president. | The first minister said he would raise the issue when he met the president. |
| On Monday, Swinney told the BBC: "Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously Scotch whisky is a unique product. | On Monday, Swinney told the BBC: "Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously Scotch whisky is a unique product. |
| "Obviously, the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. | "Obviously, the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. |
| "So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whisky should be exempted from those tariffs," he added. | "So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whisky should be exempted from those tariffs," he added. |
| John Swinney says whisky justifies an exemption from Trump's 10% tariff | John Swinney says whisky justifies an exemption from Trump's 10% tariff |
| President Trump also used the media conference at Turnberry to hit out at wind turbines, which he branded "ugly monsters". | President Trump also used the media conference at Turnberry to hit out at wind turbines, which he branded "ugly monsters". |
| He is a long-standing critic of turbines and previously lost a legal battle to block a wind farm from being built opposite his golf club in Aberdeenshire. | He is a long-standing critic of turbines and previously lost a legal battle to block a wind farm from being built opposite his golf club in Aberdeenshire. |
| Trump said: "Wind is the most expensive form of energy and it destroys the beauty of your fields, your plains and your waterways. | Trump said: "Wind is the most expensive form of energy and it destroys the beauty of your fields, your plains and your waterways. |
| "Wind needs massive subsidy, and you are paying in Scotland and in the UK, and all over the place, massive subsidies to have these ugly monsters all over the place." | "Wind needs massive subsidy, and you are paying in Scotland and in the UK, and all over the place, massive subsidies to have these ugly monsters all over the place." |
| Instead, the president urged the UK to exploit North Sea oil and gas. | Instead, the president urged the UK to exploit North Sea oil and gas. |
| "When we go to Aberdeen, you'll see some of the ugliest windmills you've ever seen, the height of a 50-storey building," Trump said. | "When we go to Aberdeen, you'll see some of the ugliest windmills you've ever seen, the height of a 50-storey building," Trump said. |
| "You can take 1,000 times more energy out of a hole in the ground this big," he added, gesturing with his hands. | "You can take 1,000 times more energy out of a hole in the ground this big," he added, gesturing with his hands. |
| "It's called oil and gas, and you have it there in the North Sea." | "It's called oil and gas, and you have it there in the North Sea." |
| Trump played golf on his Turnberry course on Saturday morning | Trump played golf on his Turnberry course on Saturday morning |
| The prime minister said the UK government believed in a mix of energy. | The prime minister said the UK government believed in a mix of energy. |
| "Obviously, oil and gas is going to be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear, which is what we've been discussing," he said. | "Obviously, oil and gas is going to be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear, which is what we've been discussing," he said. |
| The president's visit was described as a "private" trip and - unusually for such events - combined politics with business and his love of golf. | The president's visit was described as a "private" trip and - unusually for such events - combined politics with business and his love of golf. |
| It has involved a major police operation in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire and enhanced policing for protest marches in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. | It has involved a major police operation in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire and enhanced policing for protest marches in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. |
| On Monday Police Scotland "engaged" with a boat off the coast of Aberdeenshire, near the Balmedie golf resort. | |
| Footage showed the boat - which had a Palestinian flag - being followed in the water by police but officers said no action was necessary. | |
| Trump's mother was born in Lewis and emigrated to New York in 1930, aged 18. Trump has often credited that link with his decision to invest in his Scottish resorts. | Trump's mother was born in Lewis and emigrated to New York in 1930, aged 18. Trump has often credited that link with his decision to invest in his Scottish resorts. |
| He has been a regular visitor to his courses in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire over the past decade. | He has been a regular visitor to his courses in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire over the past decade. |
| The president will return to the UK in September for a state visit, when he will stay with the King at Windsor Castle. | The president will return to the UK in September for a state visit, when he will stay with the King at Windsor Castle. |