Trump’s Scotland Trip Highlights Unusual Presidential Priorities
During the sweltering summer months, presidents have long escaped Washington for cooler air and quiet reflection. But Trump’s Scotland vacation stands apart—not just for its distance, but for its direct ties to family business interests.
While past presidents retreated to cottages, ranches, or coastal homes, Donald Trump’s current five-day stay in Scotland includes stops at his family’s Turnberry and Aberdeen golf resorts. The White House says this is not a vacation but a “working trip,” though Trump is playing golf, holding ribbon-cuttings for a new course opening Aug. 13, and using the time to meet with European leaders and conduct media interviews.
Promoting Properties While in Office
What separates Trump’s trip from those of his predecessors is its overt business promotion. No other president has constructed a foreign itinerary around advancing personal vacation properties.
“He’s using the trip as a PR opportunity to promote his golf courses,” said Leonard Steinhorn, a professor at American University. “It’s yet another attempt by Donald Trump to monetize his presidency.”
That strategy includes active overseas development deals, involvement in cryptocurrency ventures, and expanding international brand visibility.
History of Presidential Getaways
Presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama have carved out their own escape routes from the pressures of office. Lincoln often spent summer months at the Soldiers’ Home in D.C. Ulysses S. Grant drove horse-drawn carriages on New Jersey beaches. Reagan praised his Santa Barbara ranch as a place of deep thought.
But presidents rarely ventured abroad. Roosevelt’s trips to the Bahamas were fishing-focused; Reagan’s visit to Barbados followed Caribbean summits. George H.W. Bush famously vacationed in Kennebunkport during the Gulf War, but it was at a family-owned U.S. property.
Even when they traveled, presidents never fully unplugged—always traveling with aides, taking intelligence briefings, and working remotely.
Breaking With His Own Promises
Trump’s approach to vacationing represents not only a break from tradition—but from his own words. In his 2004 book Think Like a Billionaire, he advised against taking vacations, writing, “What’s the point? If you’re not enjoying your work, you’re in the wrong job.”
On the 2015 campaign trail, he told supporters he would “rarely leave the White House.” More recently, he mocked former President Obama’s golf trips to Hawaii, criticizing their carbon footprint—only to fly to Scotland for a round of his own.
Vacations That Shape Presidential Image
Where presidents vacation has always been political. Teddy Roosevelt broke precedent in 1906 by traveling abroad while in office, touring the Panama Canal. Reagan made Rancho del Cielo a household name. Clinton and Obama boosted Martha’s Vineyard’s prestige.
But unlike those locations, Trump’s Turnberry and Aberdeen visits aren’t just about relaxation—they’re tied directly to his family’s profit.
“He’s demonstrating his priorities,” said Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at SMU. “Playing golf, visiting places where he has investments, and enhancing those investments.”
