Donald Trump’s golf resorts in Scotland and Ireland charged the US Secret Service more than £17,000 for a series of previously undisclosed trips, it has been revealed.
Invoices and spending records shows the former president’s properties in Turnberry, Ayrshire, and Doonbeg, County Clare, Republic of Ireland, received a string of payments in 2017, footed by the US taxpayer.
Records released under Freedom of Information also found taxpayers stumped up thousands of pounds for luxury car rentals during a visit to Scotland by Trump’s son Eric.
The newly disclosed documents were obtained by American Oversight – a non-partisan, non-profit ethics watchdog based in Washington DC, and seen by The Scotsman.
The organisation said the receipts provided evidence of how the Trump family was able to “line its pockets” by charging its security detail to stay at Trump Organisation properties.
Throughout Trump’s single term, his Turnberry resort received nearly £300,000 from the Secret Service.
The latest disclosure details an invoice prepared by the Turnberry resort dated August 14, 2017 for £5400 – the cost for one room.
The invoice is addressed to the US Embassy in London, but information about the duration of the stay has been redacted by the Secret Service.
It is unclear who visited Turnberry that month, but Eric and a 30-strong party of “international guests” flew to Scotland by private jet in July 2017 to play the family’s golf resorts.
The trip, part of the Trump Organisation’s so-called Ultimate Links Tour, saw Secret Service agents stay at Turnberry.
The overall cost of the visit to the US public purse was more than £13,000, according to records previously obtained by via US Freedom of Information laws.
Austin Evers, executive director at American Oversight, said: “No-one objects to the Trump family receiving Secret Service protection, but every time they charge their security detail to stay at a Trump hotel, thousands of taxpayer dollars line their pockets.
“If Eric is going to visit Scotland in the future, the public should demand he find less kleptocratic accommodations.”
The receipts also show that during July, the Secret Service also paid £6042 to Little’s – a Glasgow-based luxury car rental and chauffeur business.
The same firm received a six-figure windfall from the US federal government the previous summer when Trump flew to Turnberry on a private visit.
The receipts also show during the Ultimate Links Tour, Secret Service agents accompanied Eric and his guests after they left Turnberry for Trump’s Doonbeg resort in the Republic of Ireland.
Trump’s Co Clare firm charged the agency £5310 for rooms between July 22 and 23.
In April 2017 the Doonbeg hotel also charged £6680 to the Secret Service for accommodation to cover a visit by Eric.
He and his wife, Lara, had visited Turnberry just days before, with Trump’s flagship Scottish firm paid £6820 for hotel rooms.
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