- A plane that President Donald Trump uses is sometimes scheduled to land in Scotland the day before Joe Biden takes office, a Scottish newspaper reported.
- The Sunday Post reported that the U.S. military aircraft is scheduled to land at Prestwick Airport, near Trump’s Turnberry golf resort, on January 19.
- Several reports have suggested that Trump is planning to skip Biden’s inauguration to host a rival event and that it would draw attention at the same time.
- However, a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, told Insider that the president “has no plans” to visit Scotland, adding: “Anonymous sources who claim to know what the president is or is not considering have no idea. When President Trump makes an announcement about his plans for January 20, he will inform you. “
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The White House has denied that President Donald Trump will fly to Scotland for the possession of Joe Biden after a report that a U.S. military aircraft the president sometimes uses is scheduled to land in the country the day before the event.
The Sunday Post, a weekly Scottish newspaper, reported that a U.S. military Boeing 757 was scheduled to land at Prestwick Airport – near President Turnberry’s golf resort – on January 19, the day before Biden’s inauguration in Washington, A.D. The report fueled speculation that the president plans to leave the United States for his luxurious Scottish golf resort, rather than attend Biden’s inauguration.
Although White House spokesman Judd Deere initially said that Trump was not ready to announce his plans for January 20, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later told Business Insider: “That is not necessary. President Trump has no plans to travel to Scotland. “
A Glasgow Prestwick airport spokesman said on Wednesday: “We can confirm that we do not expect a visit from Donald Trump in January.”
McEnany’s denial on Tuesday afternoon came after Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said President Trump would not be allowed to visit the country because COVID-19 restrictions prevent non-essential travel there.
“We are not allowing people to enter Scotland, and that would apply to him as well as to anyone else,” Sturgeon told Scottish reporters on Tuesday. “And going in to play golf is not what I consider an essential purpose.”
The president has used the plane on previous trips abroad, but an airport source told the newspaper that it is used most often by the vice president or the first lady.
A White House spokesman, Judd Deere, told Business Insider on Tuesday morning: “Anonymous sources who claim to know what the president is or is not considering have no idea. When President Trump announces his plans for 20 January, he’ll let you know. “
Trump visited his Turnberry resort as part of a wider trip through Europe in 2018.
Sources at Prestwick Airport told the Post that U.S. surveillance aircraft had flown over Turnberry in recent weeks, heightening speculation about a presidential visit.
Reports suggest that Trump, who refused to acknowledge Biden’s electoral victory and claimed without evidence that the election was rigged against him, is planning to skip Biden’s inauguration.
Even if he doesn’t travel to Scotland, he may be planning an attempt to host a rival event that will draw attention at the same time. This can complicate several things, including the transfer of so-called nuclear football, a suitcase that gives the president the means to conduct a nuclear attack.
Axios reported in December that Trump was considering a plan to fly Air Force One to Florida, then address supporters at a rally held at the same time as Biden’s inauguration.
And NBC News reported that Trump was considering announcing a presidential race in 2024 on the day of his inauguration.