John Swinney: I will not refuse a meeting with Donald Trump

John Swinney says he would not refuse a meeting with Donald Trump if he visits Scotland, despite opposition parties urging the First Minister not to.

The US president-elect is expected to visit Scotland later this year to open a second golf course at Trump International in Aberdeenshire.

However, Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie has urged Mr Swinney and other Scottish Government ministers to turn down any meeting requests with Mr Trump due to his stance on human rights and equality.

US President-Elect Donald Trump. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

However, Mr Swinney told the Holyrood Sources podcast Scots he would not do this.

He said: “I couldn’t do that. I’m the First Minister of Scotland and I’d have to engage with the president of the United States if he wished to engage with me, and I accepted a phone call from President Trump.

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“I thought that was the right thing to do. We had a perfectly cordial conversation. He expressed his very, very deep, enthusiastic admiration for Scotland and I expressed to him the topics that matter to us.

First Minister John Swinney. | Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

“I took the opportunity to mention the significance of the whisky industry. I didn’t raise the issue of tariffs with him, but I was putting the issue of whisky on his radar as it matters to me in my role as First Minister, to support key industries in our country.

“So I just think, I don’t think people would understand what I was doing if I refused to meet with the President of the United States.”

On Monday, Mr Harvie said: “With the prospect of Donald Trump coming to Scotland for the opening of his golf course, it is crucial that our Government takes a stand for human rights, equality and other values that Trump has done so much to oppose.

“I urge the First Minister and his colleagues to turn down any meeting requests while he is here. Political relationships with other countries are important, but those relationships should be focused on those who share civilised values and respect for basic democratic norms.”

John Swinney (left) has spoken about meeting Donald Trump | NationalWorld

Mr Harvie’s comments were branded as “mindless ranting” by Sarah Malone, the executive president of Trump International Scotland.

She said: “Patrick Harvie’s puerile behaviour and mindless ranting is an embarrassment to Scotland and does a great disservice to our country.

“Aside from the colossal investment into the Scottish economy from the Trump family, the fact he is attacking the incoming president of the United States using such language is risible.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said there were “political differences” between Mr Swinney and Mr Trump, but that it was the duty of the Government to “promote and protect the interests of Scotland”.

The spokesman added: “The USA is one of Scotland’s most important markets and source of inward investment. We greatly appreciate the strong and lasting social, cultural and economic ties we have with the United States.

“Scottish ministers will work to make sure these ties continue to flourish, consistent with the values that underpin Scotland and the United States.”

Mr Trump is due to be inaugurated as the US president for the second time on January 20 after beating democratic rival Vice-President Kamala Harris in November’s US elections.