Donald Trump says it is 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland

Former US President Donald Trump has said "it is great to be home" as he arrived in Aberdeen on a visit to his Scottish golf properties.

It is Mr Trump's first visit to the UK since 2019 after leaving office.

He attended a ceremony to break ground on a new course at his Aberdeenshire resort, Trump International Scotland.

Mr Trump, whose mother was from the Isle of Lewis, sparked a security operation on a 2018 visit with protests in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

The visit comes as Mr Trump faces court action in the United States. Earlier this month he pled not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.

He is also facing a civil trial over an allegation that he raped an advice columnist in the mid-1990s. A judge has denied his legal team's request for a mistrial.

Mr Trump, who is running for the White House again in 2024, is visiting Scotland as a private individual.

It is understood there is no requirement on the Scottish or UK governments to pay for special security.

The former president arrived at Aberdeen Airport at about 11:30 and was met by two pipers, a red carpet and a 10-vehicle motorcade.

He left the plane and greeted reporters as he walked to a waiting car, but did not stop to take questions.

Before getting into the vehicle, he said: "It's great to be home, this was the home of my mother."

His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides before emigrating to the US.

Mr Trump said a "spectacular" second course on the Menie Estate at Balmedie in Aberdeenshire would be dedicated to her.

The former president cut a ceremonial red ribbon to mark the beginning of work on the MacLeod course.

He said the new course would be fit to "host many great championships" in future.

He added: "My mother was an incredible woman who loved Scotland. She returned here every year and she loved the Queen."

He added: "I love Scotland just as much."

Mr Trump is later expected to visit the Trump Turnberry course in Ayrshire before travelling to his course in Doonbeg on Ireland's west coast.

On Mr Trump's last major visit to Scotland in July 2018 he spent two days at his Turnberry resort with wife Melania.

Mr Trump was heckled as he played golf there with his son Eric.

It was part of a four-day trip to the UK, during which he met then Prime Minister Theresa May and the Queen.

Donald Trump's mother may have come from Scotland but he's had a very difficult relationship with people and politicians in the country of her birth.

While he is now opening the second of two golf courses in Aberdeenshire, his investment there remains a fraction of the one billion pounds he originally promised.

Developing the site brought him into conflict with some of his neighbours and environmental campaigners who wanted to preserve the sand dune system and its natural habitats.

Donald Trump also clashed with the Scottish government in court in an unsuccessful attempt to block a wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast.

His redevelopment of Turnberry in Ayrshire was more warmly received.

All Holyrood party leaders opposed his election as President in 2016 and the new First Minister Humza Yousaf suggested Trump be barred from the UK following the storming of the US Capitol building by his supporters.