Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Friday evening for a weekend of golf and trade talks, but the trip was overshadowed by fresh revelations about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. After landing at Glasgow Prestwick airport, the US president denied reports that he had been briefed about his name appearing in files related to the Epstein case, and claimed he had not 'really been following' the justice department's interview with Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Trump's name has appeared on a contributor list for a book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, according to the New York Times. The leather-bound collection includes messages, drawings and accolades from about five dozen public figures and acquaintances, assembled before Epstein's first arrest in 2006. Trump has denied contributing a signed and sexually suggestive note and drawing, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, and has sued the Journal's publisher for libel over the claims.
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for conspiring to traffic children, had a second meeting on Friday with the US deputy attorney general and Trump's former personal criminal defence attorney, Todd Blanche. When asked about possible clemency for Maxwell, Trump said: 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about.' He added that 'this is no time to be talking about pardons.'
The controversy has deepened anger over the decision by Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, and FBI director, Kash Patel, to backtrack on promises to release Epstein investigative files. Trump has responded with mounting fury, claiming news reports about the birthday book are 'fake news'.
Trump plans to spend the weekend at his golf property near Turnberry, before visiting Aberdeen early next week. He is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss trade, amid his threats of imposing steep tariffs on US trading partners.
