Donald Trump is finishing off his trip to the UK by opening up a second 18-hole golf course in Scotland as he hailed the late Sean Connery for helping secure the development.
The US President officially opened up the course at Aberdeenshire on Scotland’s east coast on Tuesday.
The 47th US President acknowledged early local resistance after he decided to build the course decades ago.
"At the beginning, it wasn't quite a welcome," Trump said during the opening.
"But with time, they like this more and more."
Aberdeenshire Council initially rejected his application before Scottish Parliament overturned the decision.
It comes as Trump is nearing the end of his four-day trip to Scotland where he met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort on Monday.
The pair discussed trade and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while the Potus shared his disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin over securing a peace deal with Ukraine.
Donald Trump alongside sons Donald Trump Jr (left) and Eric Trump (right) as he cuts the ribbon to the course
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Trump credited the late Sean Connery, known for playing James Bond, who he said helped his company secure permits for golf courses in Scotland.
"And Sean Connery said, 'let the bloody bloke build his golf course'," the President said.
Connery had previously claimed the project would be good for Aberdeenshire, but the Guardian reported that local officials had indicated he wasn't part of the permitting process.
In cutting the ribbon to his new golf course, Trump noted conflict around the world.
Trump after hitting his driver on his newly opened course
|REUTERS
"We have a world that's got some conflict," he said.
"But we've ironed out a lot of it. And we're going to have a great and peaceful world."
The Village People's YMCA played in the background as fireworks were set off.
Trump was joined by sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump during the opening.
Trump International Golf Links on the North Sea coastline in Aberdeenshire opened in 2012 and has quickly established itself globally.
It opened with an 18-hole championship club, now known as the Old Course.
Trump visited the property in 2023 alongside Eric and announced a second championship 18-hole layout, known as the new course.
It claims to be "The Greatest 36 Holes in Golf".
Included in the layout, which was designed by Eric with support of golf architects, engineers, agronomists and environment consultants, is the world's largest natural bunker, large sandy hollows, mountainous dune formations and infinity-style greens.
The course has been designed and constructed with environmental sensitivity and a long-term focus on sustainability.
As his speech came to a close, Trump answered a shouted question by reporters, adding to his comments on Gaza that he is "trying to get things straightened out" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as addressing the hunger crisis in the enclave.
Trump then set off for a round of golf before his expected departure back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon.