Why John Swinney was right to take Donald Trump's phone call

Not yet sworn in as US President, already Donald Trump is making his presence felt. The big issue in capitals across the globe is what his return means for their domestic politics.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has just quit, with many there feeling that he was not the leader they needed when relations between Ottawa and Washington DC are likely to see more upheaval since troops burned down the White House in 1814 in retaliation for US actions in Canada.

In an unprecedented move, European leaders have reassured Denmark, a Nato and EU state, that they will defend its territorial integrity, should Trump make good on his calls for autonomous Greenland to become part of the United States.

They are used to reminding autocrats like Putin and Xi on the importance of territorial integrity and the rule of law, they weren’t prepared for the need to remind ‘allies’ in Washington. As Professor Phillips O’Brien of St Andrews University put it, Europeans are just realising that “a huge amount of their security has been outsourced to the USA based on the assumption that the USA would never change”.

When Donald Trump comes to Scotland, John Swinney should hold talks with him (Picture: Chip Somodevilla) | Getty Images

Musk’s chilling attack on Labour

The UK isn’t immune. Trump’s close ally Elon Musk has taken to his own social media platform to call on an unelected British head of state to bring down a democratically elected UK Government. Musk’s online bullying of Jess Phillips, a decent and committed minister, is disgraceful. I may sit in opposition to the Labour government but that behaviour should send shivers up the spines of every democrat.

A foreign oligarch, who will soon be an informal official in a ‘friendly’ administration, is calling for a democratically elected government to be brought down. Let that sink in for a moment if you don’t think the world has changed.

Last time I checked the EU never tried, and could never, overthrow a UK Government, yet nothing from the anti-EU British ‘sovereigntists’. On the contrary, just a few months out of office, the Tories are leaning into Musk’s carnival of disinformation. They have a brass neck that will be visible from Musk’s starlink satellites in space.

Promoting Scotland

So, why on Earth would our own First Minister take a call with the incoming President, as he did a few weeks ago? Simply, because it was offered. What is more, when the President visits Scotland, and he will, John Swinney must meet with him.

Scotland has a significant international profile and foreign policy footprint. That is why the Scottish Government invests in its network of international offices and why the Secretary of State for Scotland at Westminster promotes Scotland the brand.

It provides influence and networks delivering jobs and investment at home, helping Scotland become the UK’s top destination for international direct investment, outside the south-east of England. It is also helpful when UK and Scottish interests diverge as they often did in the EU over issues such as whisky, energy and fisheries policy.

It is notable that at a time when world leaders are seeking any time they can get to speak to Donald Trump, he made himself available for a call with Scotland’s First Minister. That was an opportunity not to be missed.

Trump’s unique style

Scottish politicians, like the First Minister, and me, may have significant misgivings about Trump’s policies, actions and rhetoric, but we don’t get to choose who is President of the USA. That is a matter for the voters of the United States, and like it or not, they choose him.

Trump likes to do the unexpected and we know that he is making many of the big decisions himself, given the grip he has on his party, coupled with his unique style of governance. In a few weeks, there is a high likelihood that the US could start bringing in tariffs targeting imports, a policy Trump has promoted and will heavily influence.

Scottish businesses rely on exports to the US. That has become even more important since the UK, in a colossal act of self-harm, decided to make it more difficult to trade with our biggest economic partners in the EU.

If you work in a small distillery, that is a major employer in your local community, I am not sure you would be terribly sympathetic to a First Minister who refused to make the case for your sector when an opportunity arose to speak to the President.

Livelihoods on the line

A serious First Minister could not get away with telling employees, sorry you are losing your job but I refuse to speak to the President because I don’t like his politics. That kind of rhetoric means very little when exports are at risk and your livelihood is on the line.

John Swinney is a serious First Minister who knows that it would be unconscionable not to seek to influence the President where he can. One could argue that his influence will be minimal, and that argument may be right, but it doesn’t matter. The First Minister needs to deal with the world as it is and as it impacts upon the population he serves.

It also tells us something about this President, and the way that international affairs works in practice, Mr Trump doesn’t care that foreign policy is reserved to Westminster. The President-elect is half Scottish with significant business interests here.

He is speaking to Scotland’s First Minister because Scotland has industries that interest him and soft power clout in the US. Not just Scotland, we see that approach in his dealing with Greenland, another non-independent entity, and one with an international profile and some clout on the world stage.

Scotland has a role to play in a complex international environment and that has an impact at home. John Swinney was right to speak to Donald Trump and should do so whenever the opportunity arises throughout his presidency. Someone’s job might depend on it.

Stephen Gethins is the MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry