On July 25, 2025, US President Trump traveled to Scotland for a four-day visit, which includes meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and attending the opening event of Trump’s private golf course.
This visit is seen as a precursor to Trump’s official state visit to the UK in September, aiming to strengthen the US-UK relationship and address unresolved trade issues.
According to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, during this visit, Trump will have informal discussions with Starmer to “further perfect the historic US-UK trade agreement.” The agreement, which took effect on June 30, includes a 10% basic tariff on UK goods, along with quotas and exemptions for automobiles and aerospace products. However, commitments such as lifting the 25% tariff on UK steel and aluminum are yet to be implemented, as the UK still needs to prove the non-China origin of its steel and ensure that “melting and casting” are done locally.
In addition, the US remains concerned about the UK’s implementation of a digital services tax, which targets technology companies without headquarters in the UK, raising Washington’s concerns. The UK hopes to gain more concessions regarding the steel and aluminum tariffs. According to CNBC, Kallum Pickering, Chief Economist at Peel Hunt, pointed out that both parties may reach an agreement within a framework of compromises, reflecting the increasingly close relationship between the US and the UK, even if the agreement itself is not perfect.
During his visit, Trump will visit two golf courses in South Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire, with the Aberdeen course expected to open a new 18-hole course in August. This golf course is named after Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on Lewis Island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and later moved to New York during the Great Depression, where she married real estate developer Fred Trump.
Trump is also expected to meet with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, though details of the arrangement have not been made public. In a recent interview with the BBC, Trump emphasized the importance of Aberdeen in energy policy, saying, “Aberdeen should take down the windmills and bring back the oil.”
The White House stated that the meeting between Trump and Starmer “may take place at one of the properties in Aberdeen,” but it has not been formally confirmed. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to make a state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19, where they will meet with King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.