The US President will hold talks with Sir Keir Starmer during his five-day visit
US President Donald Trump waves to photographers from the fairway of his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, Scotland.(Image: Getty Images)
A major security operation is under way on the first full day of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland.
Large swathes of police and military personnel have been spotted searching the grounds of the Trump Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire.
Various road closures have been put in place, with limited access for both locals and members of the media.
The President’s first act of his five-day trip was to take to the greens of the course he acquired back in 2014 early this morning.
Mr Trump drew crowds to Prestwick Airport on Friday evening as Air Force One touched down.
Scots are set to gather across the country to protest his visit over the weekend.
Opponents of Trump’s policies are expected to gather in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen later on Saturday, with the Stop Trump coalition planning what it has described as being a “festival of resistance”.
US President Donald Trump in a golf cart at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, as he begins his five-day private trip to the country.(Image: Robert Perry/PA Wire)
During his Scottish stay, Trump will hold talks with both UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
A meeting has also been scheduled for him to talk about trade with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday.
As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will head to Aberdeenshire later in his visit and is expected to open a second course at his golf resort in Balmedie.
Soldiers search the first green at the Trump Turnberry course ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit.(Image: Getty Images)
As he landed in Ayrshire on Friday, the President took questions from journalists, telling Europe to “get your act together” on immigration, which he said was “killing” the continent.
He also praised Sir Keir, who he described as a “good man”, but added that the UK Prime Minister is “slightly more liberal than I am”.
Saturday will be the first real test of Police Scotland during the visit as it looks to control the planned demonstrations, as well as any which spring up near to the president’s course.
US President Donald Trump waves to photographers from the fairway of his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, Scotland.(Image: Getty Images)
The force has asked for support from others around the UK to bolster officer numbers, with both organisations representing senior officers and the rank-and-file claiming there is likely to be an impact on policing across the country for the duration of the visit.
Chief Superintendent Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (Asps), said: “The private visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland at the end of July will require the Police Service of Scotland to plan for and deliver a significant operation across the country over many days.
“This will undoubtedly stretch all our resources from local policing divisions to specialist and support functions such as contact, command and control.”
Before the visit started, Mr Swinney appealed to Scots to protest “peacefully and within the law”.