"Welcome to Scotland, Donald" – How the Scots Are Greeting the President They Never Wanted

On the morning of July 28, 2025, a black delivery van rolled through the granite streets of Aberdeen – inconspicuous in its form, provocative in its message. On the large LED screen of the vehicle appeared an image that sears itself into memory: Jeffrey Epstein, arm in arm with Donald Trump. Below, in white letters: "WELCOME TO SCOTLAND, DONALD." No slogan, no outrage – just an image that says more than any protest chant. For many Scots, it was a greeting meant not to welcome, but to remind. Trump had arrived for a five-day private visit, officially to attend to his golf resorts in Turnberry and Aberdeen – in reality, once again, to stage himself. But Scotland is not America. Here, the president, who so loves to portray himself as a global businessman, encounters a population that has mostly rejected him – and has for years. Back in 2016, during his last term in office, local lawmakers across party lines opposed Trump’s state visit. Not out of diplomatic routine, but out of moral resistance.

In Aberdeen, where his Balmedie golf project was once announced with great pomp, the promise of economic revitalization largely went unfulfilled. Instead, many residents remember legal disputes, environmental destruction, and a president who – even from faraway Washington – railed against everything Scotland stands for: social justice, environmental policy, minority rights. For many, Trump's presence on Scottish soil is a continued affront – especially at a time when his name is once again tied to Ghislaine Maxwell and the Epstein files. The van photo in Aberdeen was not an official protest, but a work of artistic intervention – organized by activists who are confronting this president’s past just as much as his present. The Scots, known for their sharp wit and strong historical memory, have their own way of showing resistance. No riot, no grandstanding – just a quiet reminder that speaks more powerfully than any speech.

Because Scotland has learned not to be dazzled – not by red ties, not by golden towers, and certainly not by yellowed promises.

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