The Latest: Trump inaugurates his family鈥檚 newest luxury golf course in Scotland
Jul 29, 2025, 5:36 AM
President Donald Trump tees off during the opening ceremony for the Trump International Golf Links golf course, near Aberdeen, Scotland, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump cut the ribbon at a ceremony for his family鈥檚 second golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Trump has been visiting Scotland on what the White House has called a working trip, which has included meetings with world leaders and time playing golf at properties his family owns.
Trump will be the new course鈥檚 first official player, though it opens to the public on Aug. 13 and could see a boost in sales because of the president鈥檚 promotion. Trump used another one of his family鈥檚 luxury golf courses on Scotland鈥檚 southwestern coast to host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mixing critical discussions on the deepening food crisis in Gaza, Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine and tariff rates with boasts about the property鈥檚 opulence.
Other news we鈥檙e following today:
1. Trump discusses food crisis in Gaza: Trump suggested a major recalibration of U.S. policy toward the territory. He said Israel 鈥渉as a lot of responsibility鈥� for what鈥檚 happening but is hampered by what its actions might mean for the prospects of Israeli hostages Hamas has been holding since it attacked Israel in 2023. 鈥淚 think Israel can do a lot,鈥� Trump said. He added that when next speaking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he鈥檇 insist, 鈥淚 want them to make sure they get the food.鈥�
2. Trump shortens the deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine: Trump said on July 14 that he would implement 鈥渟evere tariffs鈥� on Russia unless a peace deal is reached by early September. On Monday, Trump said he would now give Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days, meaning he wants peace efforts to make progress by Aug. 7-9.
3. US reaches a trade deal with the EU: The United States and the European Union agreed to a trade frameworkthat sets a 15% on imports from the EU to the U.S., staving off 鈥� at least for now 鈥� far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the globe. The announcement came Sunday after Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump鈥檚 golf course.
Here’s the Latest:
A French champagne maker warned Tuesday that a newly announced 15% U.S.-EU tariff on wine and spirits could disrupt exports and unsettle importers.
鈥淭his implementation of the 15% tariff is obviously problematic for me,鈥� said Antoine Chevalier, owner of the Antoine Chevalier Champagne house. 鈥淚t affects the final price of Champagne. It impacts my importers, who will obviously have to pay more, and that creates uncertainty about future sales. For now, we find this rate extremely high.鈥�
Chevalier said the U.S. accounts for 25% of his business and that many orders have been paused. He called the measure 鈥渁 burden鈥� and added: 鈥淵es, I would have liked for there to be better, or at least fairer, negotiations.鈥�
Champagne is protected under French AOC rules, meaning it must be produced in the Champagne region. That makes producers more vulnerable to tariffs than other sectors.
Chevalier said he doesn鈥檛 believe Americans or Donald Trump 鈥渞eally want to deprive themselves of our French gastronomy products.鈥� If needed, he said, he would pivot to markets in Europe, Japan or South Korea.
鈥淗e likes the course, ladies and gentlemen,鈥� Eric Trump said after his father teed off.
Trump is playing with Eric Trump and former champion golfers Rich Beam and Paul McGinley.
Trump was asked by a member of the media about the next steps for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a question that elicited groans from some in the crowd.
Trump said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try and get things straightened out for the world.鈥�
Wielding a pair of golden scissors and flanked by his two oldest sons, Trump has cut the red ribbon at his newest golf course at its official opening.
Trump disagrees with Israeli leader鈥檚 claim that there鈥檚 鈥榥o starvation in Gaza鈥�
The president, when asked Monday if he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 remarks about hunger in Gaza, said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.鈥�
Netanyahu on Sunday said, 鈥淭here is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza.鈥�
Starmer, standing next to Trump, said, 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get that ceasefire,鈥� in Gaza and called it 鈥渁 desperate situation.鈥�
Trump says ahead of the ribbon-cutting that he will play a round of golf 鈥渜uickly鈥� at his new course before heading back to D.C.
Trump says he has 鈥渇ires鈥� to put out all over the world, talking about various wars that are still raging.
He also noted the recent trade deal he had signed with the European Union.
Eric Trump is kicking off the ribbon-cutting by talking about how 鈥渞emarkable鈥� he thinks the course is.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 going to be incredibly proud of this amazing masterpiece,鈥� Eric Trump said.
Eric Trump says the newest golf course started as a passion project for President Donald Trump.
He says his father had one goal, which was to 鈥渂uild the greatest 18 holes anywhere in the world.鈥� He says Trump put 鈥渆very ounce of his heart and his soul and his effort鈥� in finding the land and building the course.
And, Eric Trump noted, his father went on to do 鈥渓arger things, and that鈥檚 saved the free world.鈥�
A fact sheet provided to the media says Eric Trump designed the course.
President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have announced a sweeping trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods, warding off Trump鈥檚 threat of a 30% rate if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1.
The tariffs, or import taxes, paid when Americans buy European products could raise prices for U.S. consumers and dent profits for European companies and their partners who bring goods into the country.
鈻� Read more about the trade deal between the United States and the European Union.
Trump is asking a federal court in Florida to force Rupert Murdoch to give a deposition for the president鈥檚 lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal within 15 days, citing the media mogul鈥檚 age and physical condition.
Trump sued the Journal, owned by Murdoch, in U.S. District Court in southern Florida on July 18 for its story reporting on the Republican president鈥檚 ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and alleged child sex trafficker who died in a New York jail in 2019 before trial.
The president鈥檚 motion to the court on Monday noted Murdoch is 94 years old, is believed to have suffered several health scares in recent years and is presumed to live in New York.
鈻� Read more about the Wall Street Journal lawsuit
Trump said Monday that he ended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and threw the now-disgraced financier out of his private club in Florida after Epstein betrayed him more than once by hiring people who had worked for him.
鈥淗e hired help and I said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 ever do that again,鈥欌�� Trump said at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland. 鈥淗e stole people that worked for me. I said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 ever do that again.鈥� He did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata.鈥�
Trump did not say what his employees did or where they worked, and the White House declined further comment.
But the White House had previously offered a different explanation for the falling-out.
Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, said in a statement last week: 鈥淭he fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep.鈥�
鈻� Read more about Trump鈥檚 comments on his connection to Epstein
Two weeks ago, the president said he would give Russia and Ukraine just 50 days to make a deal to end the war. Now Trump said he鈥檚 going to reduce that time to a 鈥渓esser number.鈥�
鈥淚 think I already know the answer, what鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� he said, expressing skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to reach an agreement.
Trump repeated his criticism of Putin for talking about ending the war, only to continue bombarding Ukraine.
鈥淎nd I say, that鈥檚 not the way to do it,鈥� Trump said. He added that 鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed in President Putin.鈥�
Among the people in attendance are Scotland鈥檚 first minister, former members of Scotland鈥檚 national soccer team and several of Trump鈥檚 grandchildren.
The White House said Trump met with First Minister John Swinney earlier in the day.
About 50 people have filled the sand trap by the tee box to watch Trump, who is wearing a black windbreaker, matching pants and a white cap as he takes practice swings ahead of the ribbon-cutting for his newest golf course.
Some are dressed for golf, complete with spiked cleats. A similar group of about 50 is watching from the other side in the tall grass growing on sand dunes flanking the first hole. That鈥檚 in addition to 200 media and VIPs in the grandstands.
