Trump calls for more Gaza food aid and talks up his golf course in meeting with UK’s prime minister

EDINBURGH Scotland AP President Donald Trump on Monday used his luxury golf unit on Scotland s southeastern coast to host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mixing critical discussions on the deepening food dilemma in Gaza Russia s war in Ukraine and tariff rates with boasts about the property s opulence The two increasingly close leaders seemed relaxed and happy together with Trump often treating the sit-down as if he were back in the Oval Office while also not missing the chance to talk up his Turnberry unit which enriches his family business When the prime minister and his wife Victoria arrived at Trump Turnberry the Republican president spent several minutes chatting with them and proudly pointing out key sites around the property Starmer came determined to press the U S to take a larger role in helping quell what he called a desperate situation amid increasing reports of starvation in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war rages Trump at first was focused on complaining about the U S not having gotten enough credit for previously providing food aid But he shifted tone when reporters questioned him about images of emaciated children from Gaza Solicited if he agreed with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s remarks about concerns of mass starvation in Gaza being overstated he replied I don t know I mean based on television I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry Starmer directly was far more forceful I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they are seeing on their screens The president later shifted his tone dramatically and suggested a major recalibration of U S strategy toward the territory suggesting that Israel has a lot of responsibility for what s happening I think Israel can do a lot Trump noted He added that when next speaking to Netanyahu he d insist I want them to make sure they get the food noting that the U S and others are giving money and food to Gaza and that Netanyahu has got to sort of like run it I want him to make sure they get the food Trump explained Trump has two Scottish golf courses and is opening a third After their meeting Starmer flew with Trump aboard Air Force One to outside Aberdeen where the president s family has a second golf unit and is holding a ribbon-cutting for a third one on Tuesday Trump will be its first official performer though the new discipline opens to the inhabitants on Aug and could see a boost in sales because of the president s promoting it Demonstrators protested in Balmedie a village close to the golf lesson One of them Jean Abbot a -year-old retired legal professional accused Trump of being in the process of dismantling Western civilization He is trashing what two generations of our people have fought wars to preserve namely democracy and freedom and the rule of law Abbott announced That followed protests across Scotland on Saturday decrying the president s visit as he was out golfing So much attention on his golf courses allows Trump to try to make good on a post from his first term in when he wrote of Turnberry Very proud of perhaps the greatest golf lesson any where in the world Also furthers U K relationship Starmer is famously not a golfer but willingly played along with the outsized influence the president puts on properties bearing his name and on golf s ability to shape geopolitics The president talked at length Monday about how he spent money lavishly to upgrade the historic Turnberry subject after he bought in declaring If you take a look at the windows in the various dining rooms they re magnificent Starmer disclosed he was excited to see this amazing golf lesson while promising Trump I ll invite you to a football ground at specific stage Ukraine also discussed Britain along with France and Germany has criticized Israel for withholding essential humanitarian assistance in Gaza as hunger spreads Over the weekend Starmer commented Britain will take part in efforts led by Jordan to airdrop aid into Gaza after Israel temporarily eased restrictions Starmer also is under pressure from his Labour Party lawmakers to follow France in recognizing a Palestinian state a move Israel and the U S have previously condemned But Trump announced Monday of the prime minister potentially doing so I don t mind him taking a position Starmer has declared the U K supports statehood for the Palestinians but it must be part of a wider plan for a two-state explanation to the Israel-Palestinian conflict Trump and Starmer also talked about a manageable peace deal to end fighting in Russia s war with Ukraine particularly trying to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table within a -day window Trump set earlier this month The president reported he wants to announce a new window to halt the fighting of just or days saying there is no reason in waiting Like being back at the White House As the leaders took more than an hour of reporters questions their sit-down at times played out like Trump s meetings with foreign leaders in the Oval Office There he fields multiple questions while his guest mostly sits quietly even though this meeting took place in Starmer s U K Trump batted away persistent inquiries about the Jeffrey Epstein development and recapped his push for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates He also repeated his longstanding grudge against wind farms which he sued unsuccessfully to get removed from near his golf module in the Aberdeen area At another point Trump criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan by saying he s done a terrible job and he s a nasty person Starmer jumped in with a chuckle He s a friend of mine veritably As they have in the past the two men also went out of their way to praise one another Starmer gushed Because we focus on what s essential for our two countries we get along very well They also talked about refining a bilateral bargain agreement they released last month though there are still sticking points around steel imports The meeting followed Trump sitting down after golfing on Sunday with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen They stated a agreement framework that will put tariffs on most of goods from both countries though numerous major details remain pending The leader of Scotland meanwhile has urged Trump to lift the current tariff on Scotch whisky First Minister John Swinney reported the spirit s uniqueness justified an exemption Trump was noncommittal though showing contentment as he stated I m not a big whiskey drinker But maybe I should be when I m over here