A report in Scotland's Sunday Post triggered speculation as to what outgoing President Donald Trump's plans may be for when his successor, President-elect Joe Biden, takes office on January 20th.
For months, Trump has pushed lies that widespread election fraud orchestrated by Democrats awarded Biden a false victory in the 2020 election, so he's not expected to attend Biden's inauguration, despite the long-held precedent of peaceful transfer of power between presidents.
The Sunday Post reported that Scotland's Glasgow Prestwick Airport has been told to expect the arrival of a US military Boeing 757—an aircraft occasionally used by Trump—on January 19, the day before inauguration.
This led some to predict that Trump would use his last full day in office to flee to his ancestral Scotland, where his Turnberry resort is a mere 20 miles away from the Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere downplayed this possibility, saying:
"Anonymous sources who claim to know what the President is or is not considering have no idea. When President Trump has an announcement about his plans for January 20, he will let you know."
Scotland—along with the rest of the United Kingdom—is currently on lockdown amid a spike of virus cases in Europe. As a result, Americans are forbidden to travel to Scotland without an essential reason.
Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, reminded the President of this as she addressed speculation that he could be coming to Scotland.
Watch below.
Asked whether Pres. Trump would be allowed to travel to Scotland around inauguration, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the country's lockdown measures apply to everyone.
"Coming to play golf is not what I would consider to be an essential purpose." https://t.co/o2OxcLFVFC pic.twitter.com/CSucAzc7fx
— ABC News (@ABC) January 5, 2021
Sturgeon said:
"I have no idea what Donald Trump's travel plans are, you'll be glad to know. I hope and expect ... that the travel plan immediately that he has is to exit the White House, but beyond that, I don't know, but we are not allowing people to come into Scotland without an essential purpose right now, which would apply to him, just as it applies to everybody else. Coming to play golf is not what I would consider an essential purpose."
Some of Trump's critics have frequently speculated that Trump will travel abroad to avoid arrest resulting from criminal investigations against him in his former home of New York.
People were pleased to see Sturgeon let him know that Scotland wouldn't be his refuge.
I love her. @NicolaSturgeon https://t.co/OYIpT7NbFZ pic.twitter.com/T4Rz6CmMlg
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 5, 2021
Love this..... Nicola wins..... https://t.co/oO1h9CioYX
— Karen (@Liklesis) January 5, 2021
This is wonderful... https://t.co/aGq2DpcDyT
— Frank Lynch (@FLynch2020) January 5, 2021
Have I ever mentioned my deep and abiding love for Scotland? https://t.co/m1djm6jqfD
— kris the possumlord (@krisis86) January 5, 2021
What an absolutely brilliant, brilliant leader. Fair play @NicolaSturgeon. 🏴 https://t.co/z9oZOmHzTX
— Scott De Buitléir (@scottdebuitleir) January 5, 2021
Bwaaahaha. Makes me proud of my Scottish heritage. https://t.co/FhIA1E5cVD
— Jane Ciener (@janeciener) January 5, 2021
It wasn't long before people began mocking Trump for the supposed escape plan.
No one wants “The Biggest Couper" https://t.co/DZ2yn4IezY
— cswir (@cswir) January 5, 2021
He really thought he was just going to flee the country like that https://t.co/YlKmLM4Xvu pic.twitter.com/vVvlAor7X4
— Tasha J. (@theglossier) January 5, 2021
Did @realDonaldTrump get this message? Scotland doesn't want him but maybe he can reroute to Russia. They won't extradite him. https://t.co/ceBR8Noc3K
— Robert Driemeyer (@robertdriemeyer) January 5, 2021
This isn't the first time government aircraft landing at Prestwick Airport during the Trump administration has sparked concerns. It's a common stop for military aircraft to refuel, but since Trump's time in office, military officials have begun staying in his resort there instead of closer hotels not affiliated with the President.
The U.S. Military has reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at Trump's Turnberry Resort.
