Trump touches down in Scotland ahead of meeting the PM and says: 'Stop the windmills and stop immigration'

Crowds gathered at Prestwick International Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, to watch as Air Force One touched down at 8:28pm on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at Prestwick Airport, Mr Trump said: "I say two things to Europe: Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. You fly over and you see these windmills, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys. Killing your birds...ruining your oceans."

"On immigration - you've got to get your act together. You're not going to have Europe anymore. You gotta get to get your act together."

"In the US, last month, we had nobody entering our country. We shut it down, we [got rid of] a lot of bad people who got there with Biden. Biden was a total stiff."

"You're allowing it to happen to your countries. You've got to stop this horrible invasion of Europe that is happening in many countries in Europe."

"Some leaders have done an amazing job. They're not getting the proper credit. I could name them but I'm not going to embarrass the other ones. But, stop this immigration is killing Europe. The other thing- stop the windmills killing the beauty of your country."

Mr Trump told reporters he will meet with Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday evening. He said: "I like your Prime Minister. He's slightly more liberal than I am, as you've probably heard, but he's a good man, he got a trade deal done." He added that the deal is "a good deal for the UK."

He said that discussions between the US president and the UK prime minister would be a "celebration" and that the trade deal, which the president said is "already concluded", is a "great deal for both" countries.

The president was also questioned on the meeting between the deputy US attorney general, Todd Blanche, and Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex trafficker and associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mr Trump said: "She is being talked to by a very good man, Todd Blanche. I don't know anything about the conversation, I haven't been following it."

"A lot of people are asking about pardons, this is not a time to be talking about pardons. What you should be talking about is you have the greatest six months of a Presidency according to a lot of people."

"Now we're meeting with the European Union, the head of the UK, the Prime Minister. That actually, the [EU trade deal] would be the biggest of all, if we can make it."

Asked his thoughts on French president Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations general assembly in September, Mr Trump said: "Thats fine, if he does that. That's up to him. It's not up to me. I'm with the United States, I'm not with France."

On the possibility of striking a trade deal with the European Union, Mr Trump said: "With the European Union, I think we have a good 50/50 chance." He added that potential "sticking points" related to "20 different things", which he did not specify.

Of his primary reason for the visit - his golf courses - the president said: "The best course anywhere in the world is Turnberry. The players all want to be at Turnberry, everyone wants to be at Turnberry. It would be the best place anywhere in your country, there's no place like it."

"I would say Aberdeen is also up there also, Aberdeen is great. While I'm here, I'll be with my son, he's going to cut a ribbon for the second course at Aberdeen ... Sean Connery helped me get the permits. If it weren't for Sean Connery we wouldn't have those courses."

A man was seen being led away by police in handcuffs after shouting at the president.

Mr Trump's meeting with Sir Keir during this five-day private visit to Scotland is seen as a chance to refine the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month.

He is also expected to meet with Ursula von Der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, to discuss a trade deal between the EU and US.

After landing at Prestwick Airport, the president is expected to head over to his Turnberry Golf Course in Ayrshire.

Mr Trump is then expected to make his way to his Menie golf course in Aberdeenshire before opening up a new course dedicated to his Scottish mother, who grew up on the Isle of Lewis.

The presence of the US president will result in a significant operation from Police Scotland and thousands of officers, who are expected to deal with mass protests around his golf courses and major Scottish cities.

Mr Trump will visit both of the golf clubs he owns in the country – Turnberry in South Ayrshire and Menie, near Aberdeen, in the coming days.

The US President has said he is looking forward to meeting Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

Before boarding the presidential plane Air Force One to fly to Scotland, he told journalists: “The Scottish leader is a good man, so I look forward to meeting him.”He also said he has a “lot of love” for Scotland.

Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of the visit on Friday, Mr Swinney said the meeting will be “an opportunity to “essentially speak out for Scotland” on international issues such as Gaza, as well as trade and the increase of business from the United States in Scotland.“

"There are clearly also significant international issues upon which the people of Scotland have a view and want to have that view expressed by their First Minister,” he said.“

"That relates to the awfulness of the situation in Gaza and the unbearable human suffering that is going on in Gaza.“

"I want to make sure that those concerns and those views are expressed to the president of the United States.“

"We have that opportunity, and I intend to take that opportunity to make sure that Scotland’s voice is heard.”

Mr Swinney also urged all of those set to protest against the president’s visit to do so “peacefully and to do so within the law”.

The US president will leave the country at some point on Tuesday.

This is a developing story. More to follow ...