Donald Trump was “deeply touched” by a gift from the Scottish Government marking his family’s Hebridean roots, John Swinney has said.
Speaking to Brian Taylor at The Herald’s Unspun Live at the Fringe, the First Minister said he presented the US president with a framed page from a handwritten 1853 parish marriage register in Tong, Lewis — the wedding of his great‑grandparents on his mother’s side — along with a 1921 census record showing his mother, Mary, aged nine, in Stornoway.
“I thought it was important to get something that reflected his connection with Scotland,” Mr Swinney said. “He seemed to me to be deeply touched by that. I later found out most governments get him golf clubs.”
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The gift was handed over ahead of an hour‑long private dinner last Monday at Trump’s Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire, before the official opening of his new course. The pair also met the following morning for 15 minutes of talks.
Last week, following the meeting, the First Minister said he had made the case for granting Scotch whisky an exemption from US trade tariffs.
However, on Air Force One, as he travelled back to the US, the President appeared to play down the First Minister’s claims, saying they “did not really discuss” tariffs.
Asked about Mr Trump’s comments, Mr Swinney said: “I can only tell you what my experience was. I spent about an hour and a quarter in private conversation with the President of the United States over dinner last Monday night, and then I spent about 15 minutes with him on Tuesday morning, in private conversation, and I raised a number of issues with him on domestic issues.
"I raised the issue of whisky tariffs.
“The President came to Scotland with a view that the US‑UK trade deal was over and done with. And what that tells me is the UK Government was not causing much of a fuss on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry — which I think tells us something about the very poor negotiation priority the UK Government attached to the situation.
“It is very damaging to the Scotch whisky industry, the current deal — it is costing the industry £4 million a week.
“As First Minister of Scotland, I want to make sure the industry has a strong, competitive platform to succeed, but £4m a week is going to really cost the industry.
"So I am hopeful we will advance those arguments, and President Trump concluded our discussions by saying, ‘Look, if there are things that I can help you with, let me know.’”
Addressing guests at the ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the new course, Mr Trump called the SNP leader a “terrific guy” who “loves golf and loves the people of this country… You are really a very special guy. Thank you very much for everything, John.”
Mr Taylor asked the First Minister if he liked Donald Trump.
“I had a very pleasant and courteous exchange with President Trump for most of the time we spent together.
"And I value the opportunity, as First Minister of Scotland, to be able to set out the views of people that I serve in this country directly to the President of the United States. And also, in the conversation, he made it abundantly clear to me that he absolutely adores Scotland."
"Compulsory registration came in in 1855 and this book records in the minister’s hand in 1853 the marriage of Mary McLeod, Donald Trump’s mother’s grandparents.
“And I gave him that in a frame, along with an extract from the 1921 census from Stornoway, which records his mother at the age of nine. He seemed to me to be deeply touched by that. I later found out that most governments get him golf clubs.
“I thought it was important to get something that reflected his connection with Scotland, and I thought he was deeply touched by that,” he added.
In exchange, Mr Trump gave Mr Swinney an American bald-eagle figurine.
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