DONALD Trump has rejected accusations he is taking planning approval for granted after an interview in which he said his controversial £1 billion golf resort in Scotland was almost certain to be approved.
The billionaire claimed the interview about the application on the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire, published in Vanity Fair, was out of date and that his comments were made before the plans were called in by the Scottish Government.
Alex Salmond al
so brushed off suggestions that Mr Trump's comments were an embarrassment. The First Minister was in Washington to present an antique club made in St Andrews to organisers of the Verizon Heritage Classic, one of the US PGA Tour's top events.
In the magazine interview, Trump boasted: "If Jack Nicklaus tried to do this, he'd have zero chance, but they like what I've done, and because I am who I am and my mother is Scottish. Between you and me, I'm going to get it."
But in a statement from New York last night, he said: "This interview took place in November just as our proposals had been approved by the area committee and long before the Scottish Government stepped in. I was obviously confident, having been advised this first step in the planning process would be the most difficult."
He went on: "Even without this, of course I am very confident. Who else would be willing to spend £1 billion on a project in Aberdeen that will be one of the finest in the world when completed?"
He added: "I am taking the public inquiry process very seriously. I am not out to win a popularity contest or become an elected official – I only want to build a great development."
Vanity Fair told The Scotsman that the piece was the culmination of several interviews done over the last five months with Mr Trump and others. The author, Alex Shoumatoff, is a personal friend of the tycoon.
PRAISE FROM PELOSIONE of the most powerful politicians in America enthused about Scotland after attending the dinner marking the tenth anniversary of Tartan Day.
Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives' Speaker, wore a tartan scarf to the dinner at the Library of Congress, hosted by Alex Salmond.
She said she was told there was a "great spirit of enthusiasm and optimism in Scotland".
The full article contains 391 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
