John Swinney’s Unexpected Flip-Flop: Cozying up with Donald Trump
John Swinney, the Scottish First Minister, recently interacted with Donald Trump, former U.S. President, during Trump’s visit to Scotland. The visit apparently concluded on a warm note, with Trump labeling Swinney as a ‘very special guy’. This odd revelation of camaraderie came after the two prominent personalities attended a high-end event. Notably, Trump was in Scotland to inaugurate his new Aberdeenshire golf course.
Aside from his previously vocalized admiration for Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris, during the recent presidential election, Swinney seemed to have left past disputes aside while meeting the former president. Perhaps one could view this as a surprising lack of commitment to his own political convictions.
During their meeting, Swinney and Trump held ‘courteous’ conversations on a number of political matters, covering areas from whisky tariffs to humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza. Swinney, who also leads the Scottish National Party (SNP), described his dialogue with Trump as forming a ‘positive relationship’. Undoubtedly, we might question what ‘positive’ means in this context.
The banter between the two leaders was notable. Not only did Trump ask Swinney to stand up during his speech at the first tee of his new golf course, but he also poured on exaggerated praises for the local politician amidst an audience of VIPs. One might wonder if this contrived act was more about publicity than genuine admiration. Perhaps, just maybe, Trump’s inclination towards golf played a significant role?
In a response to a journalist’s question if Trump had managed to ‘win him over’, Swinney maintained that his primary duty was to protect and promote Scotland’s interests. Now, one has to wonder then, considering Trump’s controversial history, was this really the best way to protect Scotland’s interests?
Remarkably, Swinney believes this encounter could result in a boon for Scotland’s whiskey industry – presently under threat due to potentially hefty export tariffs imposed by the U.S. The tariffs, if realized, could force the industry to sacrifice an overwhelming £4 million extra per week. And yet, Swinney naively hoped that his ‘cordial’ exchanges with the former President would somehow turn the tide.
Their discussions even included bizarre interjections of personal anecdotes with Trump commenting on a photo of Swinney’s son playing golf. While this might be seen by some as a touching gesture, I would argue it is nothing more than a shallow and transparent attempt at humanization of an otherwise divisive figure.
In retrospect, the encounter seems to display a concerning lack of decisiveness on Swinney’s part. One moment he’s backing Kamala Harris for President, the next he’s cozying up to Trump. This raises important questions about the consistency of Swinney’s political stances and his ability to navigate the tricky waters of international relations.
In Trump’s typical style, he seemed unaware of the impending issues facing the Scottish whisky industry. This further cements our wonder at whether Swinney’s alliance is truly beneficial for Scotland or merely a publicity pursuit.
John Swinney concluded his meeting with Trump with a promise to follow up on discussed issues, leaving us curious about whether his supposed ‘cordial’ relationship with Trump will yield any fruit. Based on past evidence, it seems like a long shot.