The former US president said Ms Sturgeon had not been very nice to him and was “anti-business”. However, the 76-year-old was more complimentary about Mr Yousaf, who took over as First Minister at the end of March.

M Trump told the Scottish Sun: "I don't know the gentleman, but I hear he is a good man."

The controversial politician and businessman has spent the past two days in Scotland, breaking ground on a new golf course at his Menie Estate near Aberdeen before playing a round at his Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire.

Donald Trump. Picture: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The trip is Mr Trump’s first abroad since he became the first former US president to face criminal charges. No travel conditions were placed on him after he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York in April.

The visit coincides with the second week of a civil trial in Manhattan over accusations, denied by Mr Trump, he raped former magazine columnist E Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996.

Mr Trump told the Scottish Sun: "Nicola Sturgeon has not been very nice to me. She never liked what we did for Scotland. My mother was Scottish. The people of Scotland are very proud of what I did for Scotland.

"She has been a very successful politician, but now that she is out of office it would be a good change for Scotland.

"I think you should embrace people like my friend, Sean Connery. He was very proud of me and what I did for Scotland. I think she was anti-business. She is a negative force.

"She has hurt Scotland. She has hurt education and tourism. She should have embraced us."

Mr Trump is expected to follow President Joe Biden, his successor at the White House, by visiting Ireland on Wednesday. Preparations were under way with heightened security at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel just outside the town of Doonbeg in Co Clare, on the west coast of Ireland.

Donald Trump hits out at Nicola Sturgeon, but has warmer words for Humza Yousaf

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