DONALD Trump’s plans to spend some time at his Scottish golf resort have been made complicated as the former president claimed his passports have been seized.
The former Apprentice star was reportedly hoping to travel to Turnberry over the summer, but the recent FBI raid on his Floria home may have put a stop to that - for now.
In a post on his social media site, Trump claimed that the FBI confiscated three of his passports – two of which were active and one expired – during the search of his private residence in Palm Beach last week.
He wrote on his platform Truth Social: “Wow! In the raid of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three passports (one expired), along with everything else.
“This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third world!”
READ MORE: FBI raids Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida
Trump reportedly actively planning a trip to Scotland
The Trump Organization owns three resorts in Scotland and Ireland, including Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire, Trump International Scotland in Aberdeen and Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, Ireland.
Although the former president’s office has not announced any trips to the resorts, Politico has reported that those familiar with the plans said Trump had actively been preparing for a visit to Scotland soon.
While details had not yet been finalised, local officials had been amplifying security measures whilst local politicians were petitioning him not to come.
Labour MSP for South Scotland Colin Smyth said: “I think people would prefer if he just stayed away from Scotland altogether.
“Trump has been an absentee owner since he bought Turnberry and with huge losses year on year, the Trump Organisation has been as big a failure at running the resort as Trump was as President.
“But that’s not an excuse for landing the taxpayer with any bills for a visit. He should be picking up the bill for these trips.”
Trump house raided by FBI
On August 9, the FBI had raided Trump's house and broke into a safe in a search believed to be related to the former president's handling of official papers.
Hours after the confiscation, it was reported that the FBI was not in possession of the passports and that they had been returned.
Shortly after this, a Trump spokesperson disclosed an email in which government officials said they were returning the passports and that he had been wrong in his post because two of the three passports had expired, not one.
READ MORE: How Aberdeenshire locals stood up to former American president Donald Trump
A trip to Scotland would mark Trump’s first visit out of the US since leaving the White House.
He last visited the UK in 2019, during which he spent time at his golf resort in Ireland.
At the time he was on a state visit with Queen Elizabeth, former prime minister Theresa May and met with President of France Emmanuel Macron.
It is now believed that Trump could indeed be on his way to Scotland following the return of his passport.
Although a visit is yet to be confirmed, as things stand, his course in Aberdeenshire has not tee times available on its website for the 22 August, while Trump Turnberry has nothing available on 23, 25, 26 or 27 August.
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