Donald Trump spokesman slams Alex Salmond as “has-been” with “overinflated ego” after losing wind farm appeal
Presidential hopeful Donald Trump might have made friends with Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins, but it seems his love affair with former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond is rather less emphatic.
A spokesman for Trump this afternoon slammed the MP for Gordon as a "has-been and totally irrelevant", adding he had an "overinflated ego", after two men butted heads once more over the issue of wind turbines.
Trump's legal challenge to an offshore wind farm was today rejected by the UK's Supreme Court, paving the way for developers to instal 11 turbines off the Aberdeenshire coast – near to Trump International Golf Links. He is reportedly angry that the turbines will spoil the view.
The case was unanimously dismissed today.
Trump has been fighting the Scottish government on this for the past two years – a fact that Salmond noted in his statement describing the billionaire property tycoon as "three times a loser".
He noted that Trump had "created a fine golf course, but it does not even have a permanent clubhouse at present, far less the claims of thousands of jobs and billions of investment".
Salmond claimed he had condemned the Turnberry golf course to "oblivion", meaning a loss to Scotland of around £100m from revenues and held back Scottish hopes of "being on the cutting edge", which was being particularly felt amid the backdrop of low oil prices.
“His behaviour and comments are unlikely to attract the votes of many Mexican Americans or Muslim Americans. Given his treatment of Scotland, Scots American are likely to join the ever growing list of people alienated by Trump," Salmond concluded.
Does Trump walk away from a fight? Even when he's running for President? Er, no.
A spokesperson for his organisation dubbed the Scottish government as "foolish, small minded and parochial".
"History will judge those involved unfavourably and the outcome demonstrates the foolish, small minded and parochial mentality which dominates the current Scottish Government’s dangerous experiment with wind energy," the statement added, according to Reuters.
But an even more strongly-worded riposte has been doing the rounds. A number of reports quote a "spokesperson" as writing Salmond off as irrelevant, adding "he should go back to what he does best – unveiling pompous portraits of himself that pander to his already overinflated ego".
Or, as one person has put it…
Donald Trump responds to Alex Salmond https://t.co/dgIbaRYDP1
— David Wyllie (@journodave) December 16, 2015
Others have pointed this out…
. @AlanRoden To be clear, the response to Salmond was from this guy… pic.twitter.com/RYtg3IGQkb
— Alan Roden (@AlanRoden) December 16, 2015
Pot kettle, kettle pot?
Salmond and Trump arguing about who is more egotistical. pic.twitter.com/CnWE2FP3wc
— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) December 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/DucksScotland/status/677110279776411649
And the end result? Here's an artist's impression:
https://twitter.com/KatyiCoull/status/677116625242468352
Trump was also losing friends and alienating people in the House of Commons today, where Labour MP Tulip Siddiq asked Prime Minister David Cameron if the UK was "making exceptions for billionaire politicians" when it came to banning individuals from entering the country.
Cameron's response was clear that Trump would not be banned – but not because he is a fan, particularly after his claim that parts of the UK were "no-go" areas.
"I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong, and I think if he came to visit our country he'd unite us all against him."