During a recent episode of “Pod Force One,” President Trump showcased his Scottish brogue while talking about his ancestors and a new golf course named after his family.
On Tuesday, he inaugurated the Trump International Golf Link Course in Aberdeen, following an interview with Miranda Devine where he discussed the lengthy battle for zoning approval. Interestingly, he had to turn to the late Sean Connery for assistance.
“I met him once. He liked me, and I liked him. He was quite a tough guy,” Trump reflected on Connery, who died in 2020 at 90.
“It was a very tough zoning process. They approved two courses but insisted the second one had to start within ten years of the first. If I hadn’t begun it, I might have lost everything two years ago,” he explained.
He added, “Getting zoning for environmentally protected areas was really difficult. Connery helped immensely.” The president said he was grateful to Connery, expressing, “Everything was approved quickly after he got involved. It was crazy.”
On the podcast, Trump also vented about ongoing regulatory challenges, particularly concerning environmental issues, and his dislike of windmills that dot the horizon near his Turnberry course.
His aversion to windmills began around 2006 when a renewable energy group constructed 11 turbines near his golf course in Aberdeen. “Those installations could have harmed Scotland more than any event in its history,” he exclaimed, referencing then-Scottish Minister Alex Salmond.
He tried to halt the wind turbine project, but in 2019, the court ruled against him, stating that the view from his resort was negatively impacted.
“Many people utilize environmental concerns to block projects,” Trump shared with Devine.
Also in the discussion, the 47th president recounted his mother’s origins as a Scottish immigrant from the Isle of Lewis, where she met his father in New York.
“She was just 18 and came to New York without seeing the world much. When she met my dad, who was already successful, she was a beautiful young woman. He said that night, ‘I just met my wife,'” Trump recalled fondly.
He described his mother’s adoration for Scotland and noted how she was a big fan of Queen Elizabeth II, often eagerly watching her appearances on TV.
While he might not have embraced all Scottish delicacies, Trump did mention his fondness for the film “Braveheart,” calling it one of the greatest movies ever. “England struggled with Scotland. They could never tame them,” he remarked.
