Donald Trump seen golfing at start of five day private visit to Scotland

A major security operation surrounded US President Donald Trump as he played golf at the start of a five day long private visit to Scotland.

The president headed to his Trump Turnberry resort – which he bought in 2014 – after arriving in the country on Friday night.

On Saturday morning he was seen on the golf course there, wearing a white cap and driving a golf buggy.

Ahead of that, a large number of police and military personnel have been spotted searching the grounds at the venue in South Ayrshire.

Various road closures have been put in place, with limited access for both locals and members of the media.

Mr Trump is staying at Turnberry for the start of a five-day private visit to Scotland which will see him have 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.

With no talks apparently scheduled for Saturday, the president – a well-known golf enthusiast – appears to be free to play the famous Turnberry course.

However, protests have been planned, with opponents of Mr Trump expected to gather in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen later on Saturday and the Stop Trump coalition planning what it has described as being a “festival of resistance”.

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.

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 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 demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, as well as any which spring up near to the president’s course.

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.

Before the visit started, Mr Swinney appealed to Scots to protest “peacefully and within the law”.