Activists unveil massive artwork outside Trump Turnberry to mark first 100 days of Donald Trump's second term

Greenpeace reveals artwork in the sand bearing message: “Time to resist - fight the billionaire takeover”

Climate activists have created a large artwork made of sand on the beach near Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire to mark the first 100 days of the US president’s second term in office.

Greenpeace UK revealed a 55 metre by 40m work on the beach outside Donald Trump’s golf course, showing a giant portrait of the president raked into the sand with the message: “Time to resist – fight the billionaire takeover.”

Greenpeace's artwork on the beach outside Trump Turnberry, showing a giant portrait of the US president etched into the sand with the message: "Time to resist - fight the billionaire takeover" | © Saf Suleyman / Greenpeace

Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: “During his first 100 days President Trump has been actively working to dismantle and weaken environmental protections and attack those who fight to protect nature and our shared climate, putting the corporate profits of his billionaire friends ahead of people and the planet. It’s time to resist the billionaire takeover of our rights and freedoms.”

The artwork took several hours to create overnight by a team from arts organisation ‘Sand in Your Eye’ and Greenpeace UK.

The environmental campaigners are protesting against the Trump administration for withdrawing from the Paris Climate agreement and its stance on the oil and gas industry.

Ms Hamid claimed: “Trump’s biggest allies are a group of unelected billionaires, including the fossil fuel company CEOs who are knowingly burning the planet, polluting our waters, and hurting communities around the world.

“No one voted for these corporate bullies to end free speech, but they will stop at nothing to keep their oil and gas empire alive – even weaponising the legal system to crush dissent and silence environmental activism.”

Greenpeace UK activists have also targeted bus stops around the US embassy in Nine Elms, London, with posters carrying the same message.

A bus stop near the US Embassy in London targeted by environmental activists marking 100 days of Donald Trump's second US presidential term | © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace

Meanwhile, Downing Street has said the venue for the 2028 Open golf championship is up to the organisers, following reports that Mr Trump has pressed for it to be hosted at Turnberry.

Whitehall officials have reportedly discussed the possibility of staging the tournament at the South Ayrshire course with the R&A following repeated requests from the US president.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman did not deny that officials had spoken to the R&A about the venue for the 2028 tournament, but insisted it was not a decision for the government.

He added: “It’s clearly right and proper and usual for government to engage with organisers of major sporting events as part of the business of government, but in terms of decisions around tournament hosting venues, that is for the relevant sporting bodies to take decisions on.”

According to reports, Mr Trump has asked Sir Keir Starmer multiple times about the possibility of hosting the Open at Turnberry, something the official spokesman also did not deny.

Turnberry has been owned by Mr Trump’s company, the Trump Organisation, since 2014 and the president has in the past called publicly for the Open to be held there.

The course has hosted the tournament in the past, with the last occasion coming in 2009.

But attendances have grown since then leading to concerns the surrounding infrastructure could no longer cope with hosting the event.

Last week, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon described Turnberry as “better now than it ever has been”, but added: “There are some challenges around the road and rail network, some of the accommodation provision in the surrounding area, and so we’re working on what a model could look like for the future.”

A spokesman for the R&A said: “We regularly engage with Government and local government regarding venues.

“We have explained the logistical challenges around Turnberry to the Government and they are aware of the position.”