JOHN Swinney has said he will appeal to Donald Trump’s love of Scotland if it means it will protect the country from damaging tariffs on exports to the United States.
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, the First Minister said that in a call with the US president-elect last month, he expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially when it comes to Scotch whisky.
Tariffs which Trump (below) has threatened to implement on US trade partners when he takes office on January 20 were not directly discussed, the First Minister said.
However, Swinney did say that Trump – whose mother Mary Anne MacLeod emigrated in 1930 from Lewis to the US – spoke warmly about his Scottish roots.
The president-elect also owns golf resorts in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire with a third course opening this year.
The First Minister said: “He (Trump) talked warmly about his mum’s roots in Lewis.
“He talked about his pride in the business interests that he’s taking forward at Turnberry and at Balmedie – the golf courses.
“So he’s got an affinity and a warmth towards Scotland.
“And if that means that it helps us to avoid tariffs that might be damaging to legitimate and important, critical economic interests in Scotland, then don’t be surprised if this First Minister in Scotland uses that channel (to Trump) to try to secure that outcome.”
During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to impose a blanket 20% tariff on all imports into the US with analysis suggesting this could cost the UK £22 billion.
Tariffs imposed for 18 months during his first term as president between 2016 and 2020 cost the whisky industry around £600m.
