Former US president Donald Trump has declared “it’s great to be home” as he touched down in Aberdeen ahead of a visit to his nearby golf course.

The 76-year-old arrived at the city’s airport at about 11.30am and was met by two pipers, a red carpet and a 10-vehicle motorcade. He pumped his fist in trademark fashion as he exited his plane.

The 45th US president has Scottish ancestry on his mother’s side and owns several properties in the country.

He left the plane and walked to a waiting car, greeting waiting media, but did not stop to take questions.

Before getting into one of the cars, Trump said: “It’s great to be home, this was the home of my mother.”

Trump has revealed he will be going to the Menie estate site near the city to open a “spectacular” second course.

His officials have not revealed how long he will stay or whether he will visit his other luxury Scottish course at Turnberry in South Ayrshire.

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It is his first trip to the UK since 2019.

Following his time in Scotland, he is expected to head to his course in Doonbeg on Ireland’s west coast.

The trip comes after he became the first US president in history to face a criminal trial.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

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The claims centre around apparent hush money to adult film star, Stormy Daniels.

The Scottish trip also comes as it emerged Trump has requested a mistrial in a civil case where the writer E Jean Carroll is accusing him of rape and defamation, according to a letter from the former president.

In a letter filed early Monday in Manhattan federal court, Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina cited several alleged errors by the judge, including that it mischaracterised parts of the case and interfered with his ability to defend Trump.

Trump is running for the White House again in 2024 and is seen by many as the presumptive Republican nominee.

He traces his Scottish roots back to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

His mother, Mary Anne Trump, nee MacLeod, lived in the small village of Tong before leaving for the US in 1930, aged 18.

There, she married Fred Trump, and Donald is one of their five children.

Scotland’s new first minister, Humza Yousaf, was asked last week if he will meet the former US leader, who has previously made controversial statements about Muslims.

Mr Yousaf said: “I would find it difficult, I have to say, to meet with him without raising the significance of concerns I have of the remarks that he’s made in the past.”

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