The new president of the United States, Donald Trump, resigned as the director of four Scottish Golf tourist companies days before his inauguration in Washington DC. Although Trump resigned, he has not relinquished ultimate ownership of the firms, raising new questions regarding the new President's business interests.
Mere days into his term as the 45th President of the United States, Trump and his team have been on the defensive on a number of subjects-most pertinently his relationship with the media, his taxes and potential conflicts of interest arising from his business.
No change of ownership
Filings made to Companies House, show that Trump resigned his position as director of the four companies on the 19th January.
Filings do not show any change of ownership. Filings show that Trump resigned as director of Trump International Golf Club Scotland in Aberdeen, SLC Trunberry and Recreation Scotland in Ayrshire, and DT Connect Europe- a helicopter company that escorts golfers from Ayr to Aberdeen and vice versa.
In January, in the midst of pressure to satiate White House ethics experts, Trump promised the day to day running of all his businesses would be delegated to his sons, Eric and Donald Jr. The hierarchical rearrangement sees Eric Trump become the most powerful Trump in Scotland.
The media and representatives from all sides of the political spectrum have been highly critical of the President's resistance to putting his shares and holdings in a blind trust.
This means that Trump will continue to profit from his businesses whilst President, which has raised serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest that may develop.
Turnberry on course for record profits
Until 2012 when Trump purchased the course, SLC Turnberry in Ayr had been recording heavy losses for a number of years.
However, in 2012, Trump invested more than £100 million to overhaul the course and the luxury hotel. Now, the course, which hosts the UK Open, is on its way to recording the largest profit in its history due to the depreciation of the pound and the rise of the dollar.
