POT POURRI

Despite past criticism, Trump’s Scotland trip revolves around golf

EDINBURGH, July 27: Donald Trump’s recent midsummer trip to Scotland blurs the line between presidential duties and personal business promotion. Officially described as a “working visit,” Trump is staying at his family-owned golf resorts in Turnberry and Aberdeen, where a third course is opening. He has played golf and is set to cut the ribbon at the new property, raising concerns that the trip serves to boost his business interests under the guise of diplomacy.
While previous presidents have taken working vacations — Abraham Lincoln at the Soldiers’ Home, Ronald Reagan at Rancho Del Cielo, or Barack Obama in Martha’s Vineyard — they traditionally avoided mixing personal profits with public office. Trump’s trip breaks this precedent by centering on properties he owns and promotes. Experts like Leonard Steinhorn view it as another attempt by Trump to monetize his presidency, similar to his past endorsements of cryptocurrency and foreign development deals.
Although presidents never truly disconnect from their roles — traveling with staff, receiving briefings, and conducting meetings — Trump’s itinerary includes both diplomatic meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside promotional events at his golf courses. Critics argue this raises ethical red flags.
Historically, presidential getaways helped shape political personas and even bolstered tourism. Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the Bahamas for fishing, George W. Bush vacationed at his Texas ranch, and Teddy Roosevelt became the first sitting president to travel abroad during office. However, Trump is the first to build an international itinerary around properties from which he and his family directly profit.
The trip also contradicts Trump’s own prior criticism of presidential vacations. In his 2004 book *Think Like a Billionaire*, he discouraged taking time off. In 2015, he pledged to “rarely leave the White House.” Yet today, he mirrors the actions he once mocked — such as flying long distances to golf.
Trump’s Scotland trip may generate tourism — but primarily to his family’s businesses. As expectations of presidential conduct evolve, his actions reignite debate over the ethical boundaries between public service and private gain, and how modern presidents choose to spend — and brand — their time away from Washington. (AP)