UK police chief reveals true feelings on Donald Trump ahead of visit

A UK police chief has warned that Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Scotland will place serious strain on already stretched policing resources. The US President is expected to arrive on Friday for a five-day private stay, which will include stops at his golf resorts in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.

Chief Superintendent Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), said the visit will demand a large-scale policing operation involving officers across the country. “The private visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland will require the Police Service of Scotland to plan for and deliver a significant operation across the country over many days,” he said.

He added the event will stretch resources from local divisions to specialist teams dealing with command, intelligence and public order.

Police bosses have already confirmed that rest days have been cancelled and that forces from other parts of the UK may be called in to help with mutual aid.

According to the Daily Mail, protests are also expected during Mr Trump’s visit, including a planned “festival of resistance” by the Stop Trump Coalition.

Mr Hay said police leaders would take responsibility for key elements of the operation including armed policing, resourcing and communications, and asked the public to understand the pressures involved.

ASPS remains “concerned about the capacity and resilience of its members,” especially during summer months when policing already faces higher demand from public events and tourism.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Scottish Police Federation general secretary David Kennedy also warned that the scale of the security operation could have a knock-on effect on routine policing.

“It will affect it. You may be waiting in the past for so many hours for a police officer to arrive, that could double now,” he said. “Emergency calls will take priority, but it will affect communities in Scotland.”

When asked if the quality of policing would be impacted, he replied: “It will be seriously affected. There’s not enough police officers for it not to be affected.”

Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said Police Scotland will be supported by national and specialist resources, along with officers from other UK forces.

First Minister John Swinney said the visit must be “handled with care”, adding there needs to be a balance between providing security and allowing peaceful protest.

Large security preparations are already underway, with vehicles from the US presidential motorcade spotted at Prestwick Airport this week after arriving on military planes.

Mr Trump is also expected to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his time in the UK.