No billionaire should treat Scotland like a playground, not even Trump

This visit proves an important moment to reflect on Trump's continued ignorance towards the people of Scotland and the SNP's shocking lack of interest in stopping his continued disregard for our country.

Across Scotland, there is the widely held view that we should not be a country where the wealthy can buy vast amounts of land to turn it into their own personal playground, yet this is exactly what Donald Trump has been allowed to do for decades. It has to stop.

His Menie Estate golf course was opposed by the local community and council, yet the SNP government gave it the green light. Since then, it has caused direct environmental harm and provided him a platform to spread misinformation about the climate crisis and renewables, all of which formed parts of his presidential campaigns.

Scotland should not be a country where we allow billionaires and their business interests to go unchecked, especially when they have been cited by courts in felony charges against the individual.

But that is exactly how the Scottish Government plans to treat convicted criminal Donald Trump, who is currently in the country in a personal capacity but will return for his second state visit as President of the United States.

In the New York criminal case against Trump, the judge cited his Menie golf estate in Aberdeenshire as a source of financial irregularities. If this is true, then it’s also possible that Trump may have broken the law here in Scotland.

The people of Scotland deserve answers from the Trump organisation as to the valuation of his Scottish properties and where he got the money from. Failure to investigate this case sends a global message that wealthy individuals in positions of power, like Donald Trump, are above the law. That sets a dangerous precedent; one that cannot become Scotland’s legacy.

But it doesn’t have to be like this, John Swinney and the SNP have the power to go to court for an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) into Trump's finances. The Scottish Government can use its powers to investigate the finances of individuals who are politically active and have acquired wealth through suspicious means.

This is a critical time to hold the super-rich to account. The billionaire class has been getting ever richer, while international aid programmes and investment in public services are being cut, causing untold suffering. Big polluters rake in the profits, while governments claim they lack the power or money to achieve a just transition. Trump is just one very high-profile example, but his political power and his long history of dodgy dealings should make him a top priority for accountability.

Over his extensive career of grifting, he has faced many losses with business ventures going bust and claiming bankruptcy. And yet he continues to keep a foothold in Scotland with his golf estates barely turning a profit.

Trump is the first US President to be a convicted criminal, he has hidden his tax returns to avoid scrutiny and there are dozens of allegations of sexual assault against him spanning back to the 1970s.

But just because he holds the title of President does not make him immune to following laws in his own country or ours. If anything, it should make our Government duty-bound to enforce those laws and hold him to account, to set an example for the world to follow.

We cannot allow billionaire elites like Trump to get a free pass just because they are powerful. He must face the same scrutiny and legal challenges as our own politicians and citizens do.

The so-called “special relationship” can't be conditionless, especially with someone who flouts our laws and treats our country like his personal playground, while trashing our environment and undermining our energy transition.

The Scottish Government have the powers to act. It’s time for John Swinney to take heed of our calls and investigate Trump with a UWO, instead of cosying up to him and trying to win his favour.

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Patrick Harvie MSP is co-leader of the Scottish Greens.

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