HASTE YE BACK, DONALD

DONALD Trump has flown out of Scotland after a whirlwind visit which saw trade deals sealed, increased hopes of whisky tariffs being cut, calls for more North Sea drilling and "stopping about five wars".

- By Richard Elias

Claims over massed protests during his stay proved unfounded compared with the last time Mr Trump was in the country.

After officially opening the MacLeod golf course named after his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod who was born on the Isle of Lewis at his Aberdeenshire hotel, the President spoke briefly to reporters before boarding Air Force One to head back to Washington DC. He told the Press pack: "We love Scotland." The President described the 18-hole course at the Trump International Golf Links in Menie as a "masterpiece".

He added that his family had taken a "beautiful piece of land, and made it much more beautiful".

The President said that he was looking forward to playing the course but he recognised he had more important issues to deal with.

Mr Trump went on: "We will play it very quickly and then I go back to DC and we put out fires all over the world.

"We've stopped about five wars.

"That's much more important than playing golf.

"As much as I like it, it's much more important." Among the topics discussed during his five-day visit was the future of the oil and gas industry.

Windfarms

Mr Trump is a vehement critic of windfarms and renewable energy and described the North Sea as a "treasure chest for the United Kingdom".

He stated that taxes on the sector were far too high.

The President went on: "They have, essentially, told drillers and oil companies that" "We don't want you'.

"Incentivise the drillers, fast - a vast fortune to be made for the UK and far lower energy costs for the people."

Mr Trump held talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and EU commissioner Ursula von der Leyen.

During discussions with the latter on Monday, a deal was agreed which saw proposed 30% tariffs on EU goods entering the United States cut to 15%.

The President also met First Minister John Swinney whom he later described as a "terrific guy".