TURNBERRY, Scotland – Donald Trump celebrated Britain’s stunning vote to leave the European Union on Friday during a visit to Scotland, saying that the people of the United Kingdom have “taken their country back,” musing that it could benefit his Turnberry resort and arguing that running a nation is a lot like running a golf course.
“I think it’s a great thing that happened,” Trump told reporters shortly after his helicopter landed at Trump Turnberry. “People are angry, all over the world. People, they’re angry.”
“When the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry, frankly,” Trump added during an afternoon news conference. “For traveling and for other things, I think it very well could turn out to be a positive.”
Trump’s two-day visit here comes during a historic and tumultuous moment for Britain. Voters defied the political establishment Thursday by formally deciding to cut ties with the European Union. But in Scotland, a majority of voters backed staying in the E.U. – a stark disconnect that prompted Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to suggest a second referendum on Scotland’s membership in the United Kingdom.
He declared the outcome “fantastic” and “great” because it reflects the anger of voters, and said that the plummeting value of the pound could positively benefit the country.
“They’re angry over borders. They’re angry over people coming into the country and taking over. Nobody even knows who they are,” Trump said, echoing the populist pitch he has made in the United States. “They’re angry about many, many things. They took back control of their country. It’s a great thing.”
“I really do see a parallel between what’s happening in the United States and what’s happening here,” Trump told reporters. “You just have to embrace it; it’s the will of the people.”
