Trump says 'it's great to be home' as he visits Scotland amid legal trouble

Former US president announced journey to open golf course on his Truth Social network

Donald Trump gives the media the thumbs up after disembarking from 'Trump Force One' at Aberdeen airport. AFP

Donald Trump said it is “great to be home” as he arrived in Scotland on a visit to his golf courses.

The former US president said on Truth Social — the social media platform he owns — that he will open a “spectacular” second course at the Menie Estate in the north-east of Scotland.

He and his son Eric arrived at Aberdeen Airport at about 11.30am and were met by two pipers, a red carpet and a 10-vehicle motorcade.

Before getting into one of the cars, Mr Trump said: “It’s great to be home, this was the home of my mother.”

His mother, Mary, was born on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides before emigrating to the US.

Following his time in Scotland, he will head to his golf course in Doonbeg on Ireland’s west coast.

Despite the visit, Mr Trump, who is running for the White House again in 2024 and is seen by many as the presumptive Republican nominee, said his campaign is “on my mind”, claiming that a victory for him would make America “greater than ever before”.

“Will be leaving for Scotland & Ireland soon in order to see and inspect my great properties there,” he wrote.

He said he would be meeting "many wonderful friends, and cutting a ribbon for a new and spectacular second course in Aberdeen".

“Very exciting despite the fact that it is ‘make America great again’ that is on my mind, in fact, America will be greater than ever before.”

Mr Trump's journey out of the US comes as he faces legal trouble in his native New York over his business practices.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump had spent two days at his Turnberry course in Ayrshire while in office in 2018, meeting prime minister Theresa May and Queen Elizabeth II during the visit.

Asked last week if he will meet Mr Trump, who has made controversial statements about Muslims in the past, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I would find it difficult, I have to say, to meet with him without raising the significance of concerns I have of the remarks that he’s made in the past.”