- A plane that President Donald Trump sometimes uses would land in Scotland the day before Joe Biden’s inauguration, a Scottish newspaper reported.
- The Sunday Post reports that the US military plane must land at Prestwick Airport near Trump’s Turnberry golf course on January 19.
- Several reports have suggested that Trump intends to skip Biden’s inauguration to present a competitive, attention-grabbing event at the same time.
- However, White House spokesman Judd Deere told Insider that the president “has no plans” to visit Scotland, adding: “anonymous sources claiming to know who the president is or are not considering have “No idea. When President Trump has an announcement about his plans for January 20, he will let you know.”
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The White House has denied that President Donald Trump will fly to Scotland for the inauguration of Joe Biden following a report that a U.S. military plane that the president sometimes uses will land in the country a day before the event.
The Sunday Post, a weekly Scottish newspaper, reported that a US military Boeing 757 would land at Prestwick Airport – near the president’s Turnberry golf course – on January 19, one day before Biden’s inauguration in Washington, DC. The report sparked speculation that the president intends to leave the US for his luxury Scottish golf course rather than attend Biden’s inauguration.
While White House spokesman Judd Deere initially said Trump was not ready to announce his plans for January 20, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later told Business Insider: “This is not accurate. President Trump does not intend to travel to Scotland. “
A spokesman for Glasgow Prestwick Airport said on Wednesday: “We can confirm that we do not expect a visit from Donald Trump in January. ‘
McEnany’s denial comes Tuesday afternoon after Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said President Trump should not visit the country because COVID – 19 restrictions prevent unnecessary travel there.
“We do not allow people to come to Scotland, and that will apply to him just as it applies to anyone else,” Sturgeon told Scottish reporters on Tuesday. “And playing golf is not what I would consider an essential goal.”
The president has used the plane during previous foreign trips, although a source at the airport told the newspaper that it is used more frequently by the vice president or the first lady.
A White House spokesman Judd Deere told Business Insider on Tuesday morning: “Anonymous sources claiming to know who the president is or are not considering have no idea. When President Trump made an announcement about his plans for January 20, he will know you. “
Trump visited his Turnberry resort in 2018 as part of a larger European trip.
Sources at Prestwick Airport told The Post that US surveillance planes have been flying over Turnberry for the past few weeks, which has contributed to speculation about a presidential visit.
Reports have suggested that Trump, who refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory in the election and claimed without evidence that the election was directed against him, intends to skip Biden’s inauguration.
Even if he does not travel to Scotland, he may be planning to present a competitive, attention-grabbing event at the same time. This could complicate several things, including the transfer of so-called nuclear football, a suitcase that gives the president the means to carry out a nuclear strike.
Axios reported in December that Trump was considering a plan to fly to Florida with Air Force One, and then address supporters during a rally held at the same time as Biden’s inauguration.
And NBC News reported that Trump is considering announcing a 2024 presidential election on inauguration day.