Donald Trump business says Swinney’s support for Harris is insult

The endorsement of Kamala Harris in the US presential election by Scotland’s first minister has been branded an “insult” by Donald Trump’s Scottish business.

John Swinney urged American voters to back the current vice president as she takes on Trump, who is seeking a second term on 5 November.

Trump International, which runs his golf courses in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire, said this was an insult to Trump’s financial investment in Scotland.

Harris is narrowly leading election polls, with the Democrat expected to receive 48% of votes. Swing state polls are said to be too close to predict.

Speaking to reporters at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Swinney said: “People in the United States of America should vote for Kamala Harris.

“And I’ve not come to that conclusion only because Donald Trump is opposed to Scottish independence.”

Sarah Malone, of Trump International Scotland, said: “The Trump family has shown unwavering commitment to Scotland – pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the Scottish economy – and driving many tens of thousands of international visitors to Scotland every year.

“It is appalling to see the first minister, who talks of the need to encourage economic growth, insult this commitment and all the people involved in delivering world-class services here in Scotland.”

She said businesses owned by the Trump family employ around 600 people in Scotland.

Trump International owns a golf course at Menie near Aberdeen and is set to open a second. Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire is also owned by Trump.

He handed over control of both courses to his sons shortly before he became president in 2017, but retained a financial interest.

In October, Trump shared his view on Scottish independence on a podcast, saying he hopes the United Kingdom “always stays together”.

He told the Flagrant podcast: “You know, they tried to break up Scotland from the rest of the empire, so to speak.

“And it made it by about like a half a point. They kept it together.”

In the 2014 referendum, Scotland voted against becoming an independent country by 55% to 45% – a margin of 10%.

Trump also spoke about his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod who was born and raised on the Isle of Lewis.

He added: “The Scottish people, they’re tough people.

“They’re good people. Actually, they’re very great people. But they’re good fighters.”

Mr Trump was previously appointed as a GlobalScot ambassador by Labour’s then First Minister Jack McConnell in 2006, but a Scottish government spokeswoman later said he was “no longer fit” to be an ambassador for the country.

Last week, Trump’s campaign filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against the UK’s Labour Party, accusing it of “blatant foreign interference” after it emerged party staff had travelled to the US to campaign for the Harris campaign.